Whites Landing
by Y2Jen
Summary: A coming of age story staring our favorite WWE superstars... while on vacation from middle school they go to summer camp for two months as young preteens, see what surprising adventures unfold.
1. Welcome Introductions

**Whites Landing**

_A coming of age story, staring our favorite WWE superstars while in middle school when they go to summer camp for two weeks... as young preteens._

As if the 5 in the morning boat ride from Long Beach harbor wasn't enough, to be there an hour and a half early, and then following that for it to be late due to fog, the boat of campers finally reached the shores of Catalina Island. Still half asleep, and carrying their luggage, the young middle school aged preteens made their way off of the small boat. First off the boat was the prominent young diva Terri, chattering up a storm with the other small group of girls that had signed up for the summer excursion, talking about the dolphins they had seen swimming and frolicking in the water around the boat as the sun rose on the morning ride. There were a lack of girls on the trip, only just enough to fill one cabin, as the last group of boys exited down the boat.

Hidden behind another big yawn, came the uptight Canadian, Chris Jericho. He is pretty sensible and solemn for a 10 year old, and rarely gets into much trouble. He keeps himself preoccupied with keeping things neat, tidy, and clean. His friends call him Chrissy as he is the youngest, it's a title of affection, but also of scoffed endearment by the eldest, and his rival, Triple H, who is not above beating him black and blue. In order to show he can run with the older crowd, Chris aspires to be bigger and stronger and faster and smarter than he really is, and truly wants to be the best. Along with Chris came the ever free spirited, and equally vocal, Ken Kennedy. At the middle age of 12 he is pretty caring of those younger and happy go lucky for his age. He likes to play with his friends and often plays tricks on Chris in order to snap him out of his serious, which aren't often, moments. Behind them came the headstrong, and ever stuck up Triple H. He always lords over the others as he's the eldest at 13. He's not beyond acting like a kid though at rare occurrences, Chris often seems to be the self proclaimed leader of the group, but Triple H will not hesitate for a moment to take over the limelight. Following after Triple H was the wild Booker T, who was the rival for this year's "King of the Camp". He is actually Mr. Kennedy's best friend of the group, as they are both the same age, and wants to show up last year's self proclaimed 'prince' Triple H. In order to heat up the rivalry, the others may refer to Booker T as Prince Booker at times in the presence of Triple H. Coming up next was the neurotic Jamie Noble, the smallest of the group yet he acted like the big man. He's one of the younger, although older than Chris, and he has a huge crush on the main diva Terri. He is not much spoken but likes to try to keep the others in order, and aspires to grow over the summer. Last but not least was Shane Helms, the same age as Jamie at 11, he truly believes he is a super hero named The Hurricane, who has not fully awakened to realize his true powers. He is righteous and protective, and he tries to use mind tricks on people although he truly in all honesty is not all that bright, but has a good heart. Looking at each separately you'd never believe that together they get along famously as a group of friends. Now they must brave the variety of dangers on the channel island, run by kind hearted founders Earl Hebnern and Hillbilly Jim, and overseen by the two sneaky and often cruel counselors, Kurt Angle and Kane.

As the campers stood on the beach, once the boat left the dock, a wooden poster board was the first thing seen at the end of the pier. It was full of pictures from last year's summer camp, one of Chris surrounded by a menagerie of small, harmless animals, but being a mere 9 year old he was undoubtedly freaked out, wearing a pale shocked expression. Hopefully now he was more fit for the wilds of the jungle. Another picture showed Triple H on all fours like an animal crawling on the ground by a campfire, in the back Shane Helms is seen running off with his pants on fire. Just above that picture is another in which he's dressed up as The Hurricane and going to jump off the roof while everyone else calls from below for him to stop, well, all but Triple H of course. Another picture showed the gang in a game of soccer on the last day, Chris was in the goal and Jamie had kicked the ball right into his stomach, leaving a painful expression on Chris's face in the photo while Triple H laughed with glee. In the back, Kennedy and Booker are hitting each other with poster board signs in the stands. In the last picture, the two friends are playing a game of chess while Jamie can be seen in a table behind them, passed out from boredom.

A whistle is heard and snaps them out of their memories as they rush over to the sound and the man who made it. "Alright now." Farooq Ron Simmons stood wearing a referee shirt and the whistle hung around his neck. "I'm here to baby sit you until Earl and Jim come with the counselors for this year. So in order to spend less time with you, head to your cabins you were assigned back earlier this morning and start to unpack. I don't care what you do until the lunch meeting, but don't run off into the mountains." Everyone began to mutter and walk off. "HEY, I'm not done yet!" Everyone snapped back into position. "Now first, a history lesson, since this is supposed to be educational. Ahem. We stand here on one of the Pacific Channel Islands, this one being Catalina, home to so far only one city, Avalon, and littered with dozens of campsites like this." Chris raised his hand quickly, as if trying to be first in a race. "Yes, question."

"Do they get everyone on a slow boat from Cali then?"

"No, they have a small airport as well where they can occasionally get supplies from but also use for mail. It mainly is used for privately manned planes, the original concept of Avalon was to be a tourist attraction for the wealthy, and due to the expenses, the majority of people living in the city are basically rich pricks."

"Oh." Chris's catlike curiosity clammed up at the in depth and abrupt answer, getting a few chuckles from his friends behind him.

"Alright I'm tired, forget the lecture, you won't remember it... now get outta here." Farooq walked off as the kids all headed to their cabins.

Of course, all the friends shared one. Kennedy and Booker argued over who got the top bunk, until Booker shoved him and jumped up. Of course that caused Kennedy to become quite vocal. Shane Helms started to ascend another bunk, but Triple H pulled him by the leg, causing him to fall, and went up the bunk instead. He leered across the room at Booker who sat atop on the other bunk, shooting a glare back at him.

"It's probably not a good idea if you go on the top..." Jamie pointed out as he helped Shane up. He let Shane sit down on the third bunk while he himself went onto the top.

Chris looked at the last bed, the one under Triple H and frowned, "Why the hell does he get the top bunk."

Triple H lorded down over Chris, "Because I'm the oldest..." Chris made a face, which caused Triple H to scoff, "Besides, the baby would probably pee on me when he gets scared."

"Hey!" Chris roared, he always got picked on for being the youngest, and hated it especially when Triple H was the one doing the picking.

"Come on guys, just get unpacked." Jamie broke the tension. "Who knows when the others will get here." He got off the bed and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Shane asked.

"Ha, he's off to see his lover, Terri..." Kennedy jeered, Jamie froze immediately in his tracks as the others began to snicker.

Jamie whirled around, wearing an obviously irked expression, "Hey well at least I have a girl, unlike the rest of you!"

"Bah, what do you know..." Chris rolled his eyes, Triple H snickered at that, one of the rare times they actually got along.

"Whatever man, I'm out..." Jamie made his exit quick before he started blushing.

"Sucka..." Booker chuckled to himself.

Shane sighed as he lay on his bed, hands behind his head, wondering aloud, "I wonder if I'll discover my superpowers this year...?"

"Shane...!" Everyone cried and threw the nearest object at him.

"Whoa, hey!" He shielded himself as everyone laughed.

Well, so far it seemed to be started out like any other year at camp, but, things don't always stay the same... the biggest guarantee for anything and almost everything in the world is changes over time, and surely there would be many changes among the friends this year at camp. But would they be so drastic as to cost a friendship? We shall see...!

**A/N **_the first one who can correctly guess the inspiration behind this story will be rewarded with a very nice surprise, it may or may not be obvious… and it might take a while to figure out. so good luck _


	2. A Night In The Wild

**A/N:** _Just FYI, Whites Landing in fact IS a very real place, in fifth grade our class went there for a Friday-Monday four day weekend and so that is not the 'inspiration' for the story. It might not be easy to see, some people might know it, hell nobody may ever figure it out, so maybe I'll try to write an easy chapter... and if nobody gets it, muaha, I am a master of the muse... or, something like that... lol, hope you enjoy and I hope this doesn't sound too 'childish' of a fic, it's hard when it deals with children._

The sun rises on a brand new day, the gang is doing their best to survive their first day at a new year of camp. So far so good, no surprises... Triple H is the first up, usually to go warm up. He leaves the rest of the gang asleep in the cabin and decides to go for a run on the beach in the morning sunrise. He jogs on the sand and looks around, smirking to himself at the beautiful scenery that's failed to be seen in the major cities back where they come from. Finally after about 15 minutes he pauses to take a short rest as he reaches the halfway point of his workout. He walks over and sits on a large rock near the waters edge. The gentle waves crash on the beach as the wind kicks at his blonde hair, it was so peaceful, so beautiful.

"Truly, God's country..." Triple H smiles as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, letting it out with a long happy sigh.

'snort'

"Huh...?" His eyes open a crack at the slightly out of place noise. There's an odd growl heard next as Triple H feels the hair on the back of his neck bristle from the instinct of no longer being alone. With a blink he slowly turns around to face his intruder only to come face to face with... "AH, a monster!" He cries and before logically analyzing the situation, he speeds off further down the beach.

"Hmm..." Booker T blinks as he sees the whole spectacle from behind a tree, he had awaken after Triple H had left and had decided to go outside and look around. He saw Triple H, and even stranger he saw him running away. "It was just the water buffalo... He always is walking around the beach, especially in the mornings. Doesn't he remember that fact?" He made a confused expression, raising one eyebrow in question.

Later...

As the sun rose and the morning progressed, the rest of the gang had already awakened. As the boys tidied up the cabin, Chris Jericho came in through the door, dirty and damp, he shook himself off like a dog.

"Whoa, what happened to you...?" Kennedy asked.

Chris rubbed under his nose, his face disgruntled, "Those damn councilors bullied me and beat me up. Dah I can't wait until I'm bigger and older and I can tough them up... or, at least outrun them." He slunk down and sat on his bed.

"Yeah, I can't wait to grow up!" Booker exclaimed. "To finally be a wrestler, and to be able to do whatever you want!"

"Yeah, and to have money too." Jamie Noble added.

"Well yeah, of course." Shane Helms agreed and everyone laughed.

Chris sighed again and Kennedy put a hand on his shoulder, wearing a smile as he told him, "Hey, come on, don't say it like that."

"Yeah, I guess we probably should enjoy being a kid, for now anyways..." Chris nodded, looking sullen at the floor.

"Yeah, but it's not that easy with Kane and Kurt Angle running the show this year." Jamie snorted.

"Everyone gets scared." Booker shrugged. Chris nodded.

"Hey, hey, nothing is ever perfect..." Kennedy paused. "Look, all I'm saying is we shouldn't rush into anything. After all, one day we will make it, we will all be wrestlers in the WWE...!" Kennedy painted a picture with his words and it caused everyone else to smile at the vision of the future.

"And I will be the world heavyweight champ." Everyone turned to see Triple H standing proudly in the doorway.

There was a pause and finally Chris broke the silence, "Look all I'm saying is that we are who we are, there's a reason, and place and time for everything in life, and in the future, we may be wrestlers, but chances are that Triple H will be the champion to rule over us all." Triple H blinked at that speech, but smirked proudly because he liked the way it ended.

"Yeah, so what." Booker cut in. "I'm telling you I saw Triple H scream and run off in fear this morning, heh, how's that for a champion."

"AH!" Triple H roared with rage and jumped into Booker's face. "How dare you say such lies, how did you know that, nobody was there, where did you see me!" In his anger of course he didn't realize that he just revealed that Booker was telling the truth.

"I know what I saw."

"NO, you don't...!" Triple H snarled, backing Booker up against the wall. "I'm not afraid, of ANYTHING!"

"Feh, I don't believe it.

"So then I'll PROVE it!"

"How?" Kennedy asked from aside.

"Well..." Triple H smirked and left Booker's face to speak to the rest of the crowd. "How about I do any dare you can come up with."

"Any dare, huh..." They began to think, Booker rubbed his chin. "Fine then, I've got it. Tonight, I challenge you to go off into the wilderness outside of the camp, once it gets dark tonight, you'll have to go out there and go up to the hill, and back, without getting afraid."

"Hah, that's it...!?" Triple H was shocked and smirked arrogantly at that. "I'll do you one better, to PROVE that I went all the way up there, I'll let out a loud call so you can here me from the safety of your beds." He mocked the last few words with a baby voice.

"Whatever..." Kennedy rolled his eyes.

"Fine then." Triple H scowled. "You're on." He walked out of the room and headed for the mess hall.

"Well, that was interesting..." Chris blinked and his stomach growled, causing him to blush with humiliation.

"Hmm, also interesting..." Shane smirked. "Sounds like somebody's hungry for breakfast." Chris laughed with embarrassment.

"Hey I am too." Jamie stood up with a grin.

"Yeah, come on, let's go eat!" Booker stood up and everyone cheered, rushing off to get some breakfast.

That night...

Triple H stood on the beach as the sun began to set, growling to himself, "There was no monster, I'll bet it was a set up all along from that loser Booker, yeah, he hated that I was last years Prince, and so he's trying to fake me out and psyche me on day one so I lose my cool and break in the competition... yeah, I didn't have the time to analyze the situation earlier, so that's why I let my guard down... feh, the idiot." He began to get angry once he knew the so called 'truth'. Once it had become dark, he went back to the cabin where everyone was waiting for him, Booker had already told them all about the water buffalo.

"Now don't go and get lost, or, heh, run away... hah!" Booker laughed.

Triple H frowned angrily, "I'll be back in no time... just make sure you don't get scared and fall asleep from the dark." He scoffed at them and left.

After a few minutes Kennedy blinked, "Now...?"

Booker sneered, "Now."

They had a plan, to follow him to not only make sure he doesn't get hurt, but to make sure they don't miss when he gets scared. They snuck out of the cabin with only the moonlight to guide them. Booker and Kennedy led the way with chagrin.

Later on that evening…

Triple H stepped lively through the trees and rocks as he made his way off the campsite territory and into the wild of the island nature. He looked around as he pushed branches and long stalks of grass out of his way. There were wild animals, but because it was an island they were all small and relatively harmless, ranging from rodents to lizards to birds, the most threat would be a fox, but they were small, like household Chihuahuas. Triple H knew there was nothing to fear. He heard something rustle through loose pebbles.

"What was that...!?" He paused and looked around. "Nothing, bah, good thing it was nothing too. If something were here I'd have to destroy it." He smirked, confidence restored, as he proudly marched his way up the hill. Then the wind howled through the

treetops and caused a shiver to go up his spine,

"Wow...!" It began to get cold and his teeth

chattered. "I'm, not... s-sc-arrred..."

"Oohhhh, woooohhh...!"

"Huh...!?" Triple H began to sweat as he turned around and saw a very large, non-human shaped figure in the darkness. "WAH-AH!" He took off running up the hill at full blinding speed.

"Hahah!" The gang climbed off the rock they were on and took a deep breath.

"Man that was great, totally worth it." Kennedy wiped a tear from his eye.

"Oh yeah, we got him, and we ALL saw it." Booker smiled proudly.

"Uh, hey guys...?" Chris broke reality into their celebration. "Where are we...?" They looked around.

Jamie gulped, "Are we lost...?"

"Great, now what do we do!" Shane sighed angrily. "Even my superpowers aren't working." Everyone groaned.

"This is all your fault man!" Kennedy growled.

"What!" Booker gasped. "No, you all went with it, and hey Ken, you helped me come up with this plan!"

"Guys...?" Chris gulped.

"Yeah well if you never wanted to show up Triple H this wouldn't have happened!"

"Guys...?"

"Hey, I know what I saw, and I saw him run in fear!"

"Guys?"

"Shut up, not now Chris."

"GUYS!"

"WHAT!?" Kennedy and Booker finally turned to see Chris looking up at Kane and Kurt Angle, holding flashlights down on them. "Oh... hi..."

"Hi..." Kurt waved with a sinister grin as Kane gathered them up and surrounded them against a rock.

"You shouldn't be, out here at night... things happen, in the dark, things get lost, in the dark... LIVES get lost, heheh, in the dark... hahah." Kane snickered cruelly.

"AH!" The group huddled together.

"ROAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

"Huh...?" Kurt looked up at the strange loud sound.

"Hey, look." Kane pointed up at the top of the hill where they saw a silhouette yell out into the night.

"It's the island monster! RUN!" Kurt sped off with Kane in tow.

"Island Monster? Huh, well I guess even grown ups get scared..." Chris blinked.

"Uh oh..." Jamie pointed as the figure came down the hill and towards them. They all kept huddled and shivered with fear until finally it stepped out into the moonlight.

"Hey..." Triple H smirked.

"Triple H...!?" They gasped with relief. Triple H raised an eyebrow slyly as he looked down at them.

The next morning, the cabin was full of laughter...

"So, I kinda figured it was you jerks plotting up to no good." Triple H smirked angrily.

"Hey, but... you got scared, right?" Booker pointed out. The time for laughter was over as Triple H stood powerfully to hide his disgruntled embarrassment.

"Nah, I knew it was you, and I had to show you up."

"Feh, yeah right..." Kennedy rolled his eyes as he muttered to himself.

"Hey, all that aside...?" Chris held out his hand. "Thanks, for saving us."

Triple H slapped him high five down low, "Hah, I didn't really save you, all I did was just what I said I'd do... call down from the top of the hill."

"Well anyway, thanks, for, whatever you did..." Jamie smiled.

"Now I'm off, it's time for my morning exercise." Triple H began to stretch.

"Triple H!" Came a voice over the loudspeakers, everyone paused and looked up. "Telephone call in the main office, it's from your mother."

"Oh wow, mommy..." Triple H frowned with great worry over the fearful lady.

"What was that...?" Booker asked slyly upon hearing Triple H whisper to himself.

"No, nothin... I uh..." Triple H shook his head and stood up. "I gotta go." He rushed to the door. "See you jerks later...!" His voice shook, but not from rage, as he ran off.

Booker laughed, "Yeah, I think Triple H still has some growing up to do..." They all laughed together at that.


	3. Buff A Load

**A/N:** _A present for you... on this holi-day off. ahhh how I love it I never get days off... well except for the ones legally mandated lol ;D enjoy the chapter update and I'll try to upload another one before the weekend BUT no promises :b_

Kane and Kurt Angle were growling at themselves the next morning once they had arrived back at the counselors office, realizing only too late that they'd made a fool of themselves over a kid like Triple H.

"Of all the humiliation…" Kurt was grumbling. "How could we let our guard down last night? I mean, those kids… I'll bet it was all a plan."

"Nah, those kids are still only just kids, the real cultrate…" Kane's scowl twisted into a smirk. "Is Triple H…" He began to chuckle.

Kurt rubbed his chin and gave him a thoughtful look, "Sounds like you have an idea."

"Yeah, hahahah…. for revenge, heheh."

It was after lunch and Triple H was sitting in a tree alone, still feeling the effects of last night's little outing. He sighed, his face a bit sullen with disappointment. Not only did he make a fool of himself, TWICE, but then his mother goes and calls and humiliates him again… his mom was almost foreboding though, and he was sure his friends knew that, but still, they also knew they could use that third factor to rag on him again and hold it against him and his status credit, especially as the reigning, and soon to be again, King of the Camp.

Triple H sighed and closed his eyes with annoyance, cleared his throat loudly, "Ahem… do you want something…?"

"Oh, you're good." Kurt appeared from behind the bushes, along with Kane beside him.

Triple H growled quietly and jumped down from the tree, landing gracefully on his feet as he faced them, "Speak, state your purpose."

"No, no, no, heh. You misunderstand us." Kane wore a smile, well a 'smile' in his own mind. Triple H raised an eyebrow as Kane went on. "We're here to make amends."

"Amends…?" Triple H blinked, shocked at the request and not buying it for a moment.

Kurt approached Triple H, breaking the comfort zone between them as he raised a hand, "We know that as the eldest, and obviously most talented among your so called friends, you are much to dignified to be seen with the likes of them."

"Hmmm….." Triple H blinked as he folded his arms. "I don't mean any offense by it…!" Kurt stopped and stepped back, but continued at Triple H's silence. "I lean by the apparent high standards of your talent qualities, you should be suited for much better. You are the fastest, strongest, smartest, I mean the list goes on…"

"Your point is…?" Triple H was growing tired of the game.

"Our point is…" Kane intervened, a much more 'to the point' person. "We have a proposition for you…" Triple H remained silent still.

Kurt smirked and extended his hand, "Join us."

"Pardon…?" Triple H staid still and only blinked.

Kane continued, "You are more suited for our position, you command respect, you have great power, and you are not in worthy company."

"Hmm, and intriguing offer." Triple H paused and finally strained up and lowered his arms. "What's the catch…"

"Oh, no catch." Kurt winked. "Only, a test."

"A test…?"

"Only to prove your worth, of course."

"Name the game." Triple H smirked, a bit excited at the challenge. "And I will accept."

"Very well." Kane grinned his normal cruel smile. "You have to defeat the strongest being on this island." Triple H growled and crouched down into a fighting pose, poised in Kane's direction.

"No, no, not him." Kurt laughed and Triple H glanced at him. "The water buffalo."

Triple H gasped slightly as his eyes went wide, "You want me to take down a helpless giant animal…!?"

"Afraid much…?" Kane chuckled low.

Triple H lowered his eyes, "I'm not afraid of anything, it, just holds no honor."

"Yes it does, that animal made you seem a fool… this is…" Kane's eyes gleamed as he uttered his favorite word. "Revenge."

Triple H thought for a moment, "So it would seem… and if in exacting this revenge I only prove myself…" He smiled up at them. "Very well, you're on." He started off. "I'll find this animal, and once I get my victory, I shall come find you." He shot them a look over his shoulder and then was off.

Kane turned to Kurt as Kurt laughed once he left, "There's one born every day."

"Yes." Kane smirked. "And for every one born, one must die… heheh."

Meanwhile, back in the cabin…

"Man, I hope we didn't go too far last night…" Shane wondered.

"Nah, it was good for him, heh, and funny for us." Kennedy snickered.

"But still…" Chris agreed. "Triple H is our friend, and he's only human, even the most powerful or respected people get afraid sometimes, it's only natural because, that's just a trait of human nature."

"Yeah, he is our friend…" Booker thought, completely ignoring the rest of Chris's speech, which of course didn't go unnoticed to the one who gave it. "Maybe we should do something to make it up to him, you know, show him that he is still our friend."

"Oh come on, it was just a joke." Kennedy protested. "He knows that, and besides he's probably forgotten all about it. I say we just forget about it, and move on with our lives as well."

"Yeah, okay…" Everyone muttered in agreement.

But…

"I won't let them forget it… never live it down until I get my revenge." Triple H was snarling to himself. "The humiliation, I can't move on in my life until I make this right…" He finally stopped and looked up, seeing the water buffalo laying down and staring out into the ocean peacefully. Triple H quietly stalked his prey, careful to be silent as he got closer and closer. Finally he stopped and got ready, crouching down, feeling every single muscle in his body clench and flex into ready place. He got ready to leap out and fight but stopped, his face tensed and froze as he saw the buffalo continue to stare off with such a noble face, his mind at peace as it watched the sea. "Oh, grr, get over it…!" Triple H shook his head and snapped out of it, getting back into his ready stance, growling as he counted in his mind.

"Do you think he will do it…?" Kurt asked as he and Kane watched from a ledge hidden up above.

"NOW!" Triple H jumped out and landed sprawled on the huge buffalo. Triple H paused and opened his eyes, "Huh…?" He watched as the buffalo slowly turned his head around and their eyes met. Triple H broke character and his face went pale, his eyes gone wide as his body tensed and began to sweat with fear as the once peaceful animal gave him a cruel glare. "Uh oh…"

"Here we go." Kurt snickered. The buffalo leaped up with a roar as it bucked wildly.

"Ah!" Triple H fell backwards and landed on his head. He groaned and sat up, gasping as the buffalo had become an enraged bull, digging at the ground with its hooves and leering down at the attacker. "Eep…" He scrambled to his feet and took off running, the animal charging after him.

"This is fun." Kane smirked with amusement.

"AH!" Triple H was running blindly for his life as the enraged beast ran on his tail. "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die…!"

"Hey…!" Chris sat up, his heart skipping a beat as he sensed something.

"What is it?" Jamie asked as he turned to his friend. Chris looked around as he listened carefully amid the camp noises, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Shane looked around. Though nobody else may have been able to feel anything, Chris had a strange sixth sense in which everybody could easily trust in.

"I can sense something…" Chris lowered his eyebrows. "Something big is coming, and it means trouble…"

Triple H was panting heavily, his chest sore from the workout, "Oh man… what am I gonna do…?" He looked up and saw the campsite and lowered his eyes, not so much worried about his pride as he was about the others getting involved and hurt. "I can't run it through, but, I can't fight it, not alone anyways… oh man, what do I do…!" Finally he skidded abruptly to a halt as he stood before a large tree and boulder. The animal behind him finally slowed as well and came to a stop. Triple H finally caught his breath and turned. "I am alone, I don't have my friends… maybe those counselors were right, it's time I have to prove myself." He looked around and smirked at the buffalo. "Nobody is here, all that exists are you and me. And that's all that I care about proving to. My friends aren't here, but I don't need their help." He stood firm as the buffalo looked at him. "Everyone thinks that they know me, but… the only person who really does is myself, and maybe even, I don't know myself as well as I thought…" He slowly walked towards the stationary animal and stopped an arm's reach away. He smirked, "Not so different, are we, huh…?" He finally held out his hand, the calm buffalo sniffed it and allowed Triple H to place it on his head. The smirk turned into a genuine smile as Triple H chuckled, "Nah, we don't have to fight. You're in a different league than I am, and you're older than me anyways, and an animal… heh, not much honor in that, huh?" He closed his eyes, wearing a happy smile of a normal child. The buffalo wagged its tail. Finally Triple H could hear voices coming from the camp and saw some people running towards their direction. He looked back down at the buffalo, "So I guess now that we know, we should have to part ways." He and the beast looked in each other's eyes for but a moment, yet it seemed to last for ages. The buffalo turned and slowly walked off. Triple H stood proudly with his arms crossed as he watched him, this time he had learned.

"Triple H!" Chris was the first to call out.

"Hey." Triple H turned with a proud, seemingly victorious smile.

"Huh? Hey, what's that?" Chris asked as they finally all reached him and came to a stop.

"Oh, him?" Triple H turned, hands firmly on hips as they all watched the buffalo walk off into the distance. "Eh, nothing, just the island mascot… you all know him, the famous 'monster' heheh."

Booker blinked with shock, "Hey, are you okay…?"

Triple H finally turned, and the smile turned into a feisty smirk, "Of course I am… and I can prove it to you right now as well."

Booker waved his hands cooly, "Eh, maybe later…" He smiled up at him. "Come on, it's time for today's camp activity."

"Ah, oh yeah that's right!" Chris looked at his watch and gasped, hitting his forehead. "It's almost 1:30! Hurry, let's go!" Chris led the way, Shane and Jamie running quickly back to camp after him.

"Come on guys." Kennedy turned and walked off after them.

"Yeah, sure don't hold up." Booker looked back at smirking Triple H. Booker smiled back at him as their eyes met, they both could read each other perfectly.

"We're waiting…!" Shane called from in the distance.

"Yeah, yeah…" Triple H sighed, closing his eyes as he walked off. Booker smiled as he watched him go, thinking differently of the guy, for just a moment, almost even proudly. Triple H seemed to have a new light in his eyes. "You joining us…?"

"Sure, why not…" Booker chuckled to himself and walked off after them.


	4. Jamie Meets His Match

**A/N:** _I guess nobody liked chapter three huh lol, well I've got five more chapters written out and ready to load up on here for you guys to read... but you know what has to happen first for that to. and now onto the new update  
_

As the first week of camp continued, the campers all set into the daily routine of the schedule. They would get up at 7 in the morning and have breakfast, using the first few hours of the day to have fun or hang out with others or clean up their cabins. After lunch at noon, they would have activities scheduled by the campsite, such as hiking, animal study, ocean excursions where they would go on a boat and explore the sea life of the island, and of course, the many water activities, those all were just to name a few. The only rule was, you couldn't leave the grounds by yourselves, and you had to stay in your cabins at night.

Today, Jamie decided to take a walk around the camp areas to get a look at all of the other cabins and perhaps find a face that he remembered from school or from last year's camp… and of course the certain face he had in mind, was that of a diva…

"Come on Terri, we're going to swim in the water! This is a great time to finally show off all of our new suits!" A girl inside the girls' cabin was giggling.

"Alright, sounds great." Terri opened the door and went outside. "I'll change after you and go find the others to see if they want to come along." She shut it behind her.

"Oh…!" Jamie froze in his tracks, gasping as he saw her. She hadn't noticed him yet, as she looked up at the mid-morning sunlight. The ocean breeze kicked at her long blonde hair as the sunlight shone on her ever so beautifully. "Terri…" Jamie felt his heart race as it dropped into his stomach.

"Huh…?" Finally Terri could feel somebody nearby was watching her, and she turned towards Jamie's direction. "Oh, hello."

"Hi…" Jamie gulped.

Terri blinked, "Are you, uh… lost?"

"Oh, no I, uh…!" Jamie stammered, starting to blush, causing Terri to smile a bit. Jamie cleared his throat, "I'm just looking around, you know, checking out the site and seeing if I recognize any of the other campers, you know, just exploring."

Terri wore a smile, "That's cool, I like exploring."

"Yeah…!?"

She nodded, "Sure, it's fun." Jamie felt himself getting hotter. "So what did you find?"

"Huh?" He snapped back to normal.

"Did you see anything interesting around the camp?"

"Well, I, err, um…"

"Or did you run into anybody you knew?"

"Not, really, but, uh…"

"I came to camp last year, there were more girls last year, but this year there are really few…" She frowned sadly. "I'm worried with the lack of people, there may not be a girls cabin next year…"

"Oh….!" Jamie gasped, realizing that this was his last, and possibly only chance.

"I really love camp, but, if I can't come here anymore, then… I dunno what I'll do." She sighed and grumbled, "Maybe my parents will make me go to summer school…"

"No!" Jamie gasped. "I can't let that happen!"

"Huh?" Terri looked up, having forgotten somebody else had been there.

Jamie swallowed the blushing and became strong, "I won't let you have to face summer school, if given the choice, a kid should be able to come to camp!" Terri blinked as Jamie continued on with determination, "I'll make sure more girls can come, by you having a great time at camp!"

"What? How will that help?"

Jamie smiled, "See if you have an amazing time, you can tell your friends next year at school and they can see how great it is here for girls as well and then they can ask their parents to go next year, and I'm sure they'll say yes because it's not really an expensive camp, and then so more girls will come and you won't have to go to summer school!"

Terri gasped and wore a huge grin, "Oh my gosh, that's a great plan!"

"Wow, you think so…?" Jamie couldn't help but blush from the flattering.

"So let's go have fun!"

"Yeah, you want to? I mean, with me?"

"Sure, you're the mastermind behind the plan, right? And I'm sure my friends won't mind, I mean, I'll be helping them too, so that they can come back to camp again and not have to go to school in the summer." Terri ran off. "Come on, let's go, hurry up!"

Jamie rubbed the back of his head, "Wow…"

"Hey, boy…" Terri stopped and turned back around as Jamie walked briskly to catch up with her. She blinked and raised an eyebrow, "I didn't even get your name."

"Oh, that's okay Terri… I didn't tell you, I'm sorry. It's Jamie."

"Ah, Jamie." She paused. "And you know me… you seem a bit familiar, did we meet last year maybe?"

"Well no, err, we go to the same school." Jaime spoke quickly. "But we hang out with different people and don't really work together in classes or anything, so it's okay don't worry!"

Terri giggled, "You're funny."

"Yeah?" Jamie gulped again, blushing.

"Come on Jamie, let's go exploring!" She ran off.

"Ah, okay!" Jamie followed happily.

"Okay Terri, it's your turn…." The cabin door opened and the red head looked around. "Hey, where did she go? Is she still looking for the others I wonder?"

"Where did who go…" A black haired girl came from around the cabin.

"Terri… I wonder where she went, she was just standing out here a moment ago…"

"Hmmm…."

Meanwhile…

"Where did Jamie go, he just ran off after breakfast, I wonder what's up." Shane was sitting on his bed after he finished making it.

"Who knows, who cares." Triple H was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Why aren't we outside?" Chris asked.

"Who knows, who cares…" The repeated answer caused Chris to growl with annoyance.

"Come on, let's go hang out at the beach." Kennedy spoke up.

"Alright, sure." Booker stood up and followed his friend outside.

Later, at the beach…

"It's a bit hotter today…" Kennedy looked up at the sun.

"At least we have a nice cool breeze." Booker stood proudly with his eyes closed as the wind blew at him coming off from the ocean.

"Huh, hey, look at that…" Kennedy pointed.

"Huh?" Booker turned and followed his direction. "Hey, that's Jamie…" He squinted off in the distance, seeing them playing among the rock cropping next to the pier dock.

"Hey, and whose that he's with?" Kennedy asked in a frisky voice.

"Hmm, some blonde girl…"

"OH, hey yeah, that has to be Terri!" Kennedy pounded a fist into his hand at the realization.

"Who…?" Booker gave him a confused look.

"You know, 'miss thang' from school… she's always into the latest scene and hanging out with all those other preppy girls in the cafeteria."

"Ah yeah, her…" Booker blinked as he looked back at Jamie. "Wow, he got her? Dang, she must be desperate or on the rebound or something."

"Hey…" Kennedy growled, not liking to hear one friend insult the other, even as a joke.

"No, I mean think about it… it's like that Romeo and Juliet play Chris was ranting about last month… about two star crossed lovers from different classes who fall in love but die in tragedy."

"So, that's life. Jamie's probably just growing up."

Booker frowned, "But we're kids, we're not supposed to grow up… that's why we're kids."

"Huh…?" Kennedy blinked.

Booker stood up, "Come on, let's go back."

"Aw…." Kennedy followed.

"This is so much fun!" Terri giggled as she frolicked in the surf.

Jamie smiled as the beauty of the flying water drops in the sunlight caused her to sparkle like a jewel, "I'm glad…"

Finally Terri sighed and rubbed the salt water from her brow, "Whew, come on, maybe we should head back… I don't want my friends to worry about me."

"Already?" Jamie sighed. "Well, alright…" He looked at his watch. "Well it's almost lunch too, we were gone for a while… maybe we should head back and I'll see you at lunch."

"Yeah, sure, alright." Terri waved as she ran back to the cabin. "See you later!"

Jamie stood blushing, "Bye, Terri…. ahh…."

During lunch…

The cabins all got out to lunch and in the cafeteria everyone sat at the same table as their friends. Even outside of school, the clicks that existed still held stead fast. Terri and Jamie had only met for the first time outside of school, and even though they went to the same school, they had different groups of friends and so they never ran into each other. The group of girls that she did get along with were popular but resented for it, only letting certain circles join in on a rarity, and Jamie was on the other end of the school food chain, the popular kids but not classy enough to hang out with the kind of people the girls liked. But she was different, outside of school and away from her friends, she was sweet and kind and genuine and loved to have fun, basically she was just another happy, fun loving kid, and Jamie had to prove that to his friends, who would most likely see her for what she is, and not who she was.

At the table, Jamie kept glancing over at Terri and her friends giggling and talking about girly stuff at their table. Booker and Kennedy ate quietly, eyes closed, occasionally shooting each other an off glare. Chris and Triple H just sat there blankly and eating normally, except for the times Triple H would tap Chris's opposite shoulder, causing him to look away, and giving him the chance to take a bite off of his plate. Chris of course would turn back, look at the plate, curious to find a bit missing, leading to a stare at the obvious cultrate of Triple H. Shane could feel the tension as he eyed around the table, so he finally decided to speak up.

"So hey, Jamie…"

"Huh?" He turned, snapped out of his daze.

"You, want to hang out after lunch before we start today's activity?"

"Oh, um…"

"I don't think so…" Booker swallowed, causing everyone to turn to him.

Kennedy spoke up next, "We saw you Jamie."

Jamie blinked, "Saw me…? With who?"

"Her." Booker pointed at the girl table as Terri laughed happily from a said joke.

"Ah, with Terri…!?" Everyone gasped quietly.

"G-guys, it's no big deal."

"Big deal!? That's Terri!" Shane had his jaw dropped.

"Dude, be careful… this is like Romeo and Juliet her." Chris blinked sadly.

Booker nudged Kennedy, "See…?"

Triple H smirked, "Hmm, I think Jamie's got his first crush."

"Aw!" Everyone fawned and then giggled.

Jamie blushed, only this time with anger, "Come on guys, get off it…"

"Off what?" Shane asked.

"You're freakin, high horse!"

"High horse?" Triple H took a bite. "I think that's what your friend is on, and she's luring you in."

"Be carefully Jamie, please." Chris warned sadly.

"Don't worry you guys, you don't know her, don't worry!" Jamie assured.

"But we can't help but worry Jamie." Shane added. "You're our friend, and she could be playing you."

"You don't know her guys, please, don't jump to conclusions about her. She's a good person… she's just…" He looked at her again. "Now with the right crowd of friends."

"And what you want to bring her here?" Kennedy asked.

"Bah, what does she know… she's just a girl." Chris rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's tellin it." Booker agreed.

Jamie sighed with a sad frown, "I think I've lost my appetite…"

After lunch…

Terri was standing behind the cafeteria alone with Jamie, "What is it? You asked me to come here alone, is something wrong…?"

"Maybe, you should go back to hanging out with your friends…"

"What, but didn't you have fun?"

"Oh of course I did, Terri! I loved it!" Jamie sighed. "It's just, we're from different groups of friends, and I don't want you to loose your friends because of me. You're a great person Terri, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you, I just want you to be happy."

"But I am happy Jamie, and I will be if I'm with you."

"What…?"

Terri smiled, "I'm happy to be with you, you're a great person and I had fun, but… maybe, you're right." Jamie sighed but Terri continued, "But that doesn't mean we still can't be friends and see each other every now and then."

Jamie's eyes shook, "Yeah, I'd, like that… I really would like it a lot."

Terri giggled, "Yeah, same here. So would I." They smiled at each other for a moment. "Well, I should get ready, today's activity will be starting soon." She walked off, Jamie went to speak but no words came out as he wanted her to stay, just for a little while longer. She turned, "See you later, okay?"

Jamie sighed and wore a smile, "Yeah, I know we will." She giggled, waved, and ran off. Jamie sighed sadly and turned to go, but as he walked he gasped as he ran into his friends.

"You did the right thing man." Chris told him in a sad serious tone. "If you love somebody, you really have to let them go…"

"But, she said she was happy with me… I just don't want her to get hurt."

Shane put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, it's only the first week… and you'll have plenty more summer camp loves."

"Yeah, sure, right…" Jamie sighed as they all walked back to camp. He thought sadly to himself, 'She may be my first love, but, is it so wrong of me to want her to be my only love…? Now, and forever…? It can't end, not now, not this way… here, at school, somehow Terri, I will show the others, and the world… and I will make you mine.'


	5. Lazy Kennedy

**A/N:** _Sorry for the delay, been sick for a week and now I'm getting better... so onto more chapters. I've already got more lined up writen and waiting so I hope you enjoy_

Chris was sitting on the wooden porch of the cabin staring out at the ocean as the sun shone on the sand. The slight breeze suddenly kicked up into a wild wind, causing Chris to shut his eyes as it madly ruffled his hair. He brushed it out of his face and cracked open one eye.

"Huh?" He blinked as he looked over the horizon. "That's odd, a random storm might be passing…" After a moments thought, he stood up and went inside to find shelter.

"Hey Chris, what's up?" Kennedy asked, relaxing back on his bed.

"Oh, nothing… just a little disturbance in the weather I guess." Chris fixed his hair.

Kennedy waved his arm and spoke in a wise monotone ala Obi Wan, "There is a disturbance in the weather…"

Chris chuckled but spoke serious through the grin, "Really, it's strange…"

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry…?" Chris raised an eyebrow. "How can you not, it's easy to say something but it's another thing to actually do it."

"Be happy." Kennedy shrugged and Chris lowered his brow with discontent.

Chris sat down on his bed with a sigh and blinked as he thought to himself, "Kennedy is so lazy, he really needs to stop being so… carefree about everything all the time. It could lead to trouble and I don't want him to get hurt…" He turned to Kennedy, who had his eyes closed with ease. Chris cleared his throat, "Uh, listen Ken…"

"Hmm…."

"We really need to talk…" At Chris's quiet, serious words, Kennedy opened his eyes.

Outside the wind had picked up a bit and Kennedy rubbed his eyes, "Alright what is it, ugh, and why did we have to come outside…?" He squinted up at the sun.

"Look Kenneth…" Chris used his full name, which he did not like, and so it got his full attention. "I'm all for having a relaxed attitude, and don't get me wrong, playing it cool and living carefree would be great." Kennedy groaned as Chris began another of his long winded lectures he had become famous for. "As kids we have the freedom to be calm and content with everything and anything that happens in our lives and the world around us… but, that's not always safe."

"What are you talking about…!?" Kennedy folded his arms, completely baffled.

"Being lazy, can hurt somebody… not just yourself." Chris went on quietly, Kennedy gave him a confused glare as he studied his younger friend.

"You shouldn't worry about the 'ifs' like that Chris…" Kennedy was getting a bit worried now, Chris had a tendency to sometimes go overboard with things like this.

"I'm worried, that's all…. I can't help but be concerned for my friends." Chris sighed, his voice even lower in volume now.

Kennedy sighed himself, "Look Chris, listen…"

"No, it's alright, I'm sorry, you're right…" Chris cut him off quickly and turned away.

"It's okay, go ahead, I'm fine, really." Kennedy smiled warmly, Chris was young but had a great sense of responsibility when it came to the others, he really did care for his friends.

Chris smiled to himself and turned back around, "Great then." Kennedy blinked and studied his face, taken back just a bit… that was too quick, was Chris just acting then…?

"I think you need to start taking more responsibility, especially for younger guys like Jamie and Shane. You and Booker are great together as best friends, but Booker is getting really into this whole rivalry with Triple H, who is the eldest, and that could lead to trouble, not just for himself, but for us all as a whole as a group of friends. Triple H is older, therefore bigger and stronger, he could also physically harm Booker." Chris opened his eyes. "Kennedy, weather is one thing, but the safety of another you care for is completely different… you have to take your friends well being seriously Ken… I know I do, but, I'm the youngest, and, maybe I can't do it alone…" Kennedy blinked, was Chris really worried or was he just asking for help?

Kenned sighed and turned, "That's a lot to think about…" Honestly he had dazed out and listened in and out. "I need to go off and think about this." He walked off.

"Hey, Ken, wait…!" Chris called but sighed as he was soon gone. He made a face, "I wonder if he was just pretending to involve my conversation with him…"

Kennedy sighed as he walked off in thought, "I didn't mean to get to Chris, but he really has to learn to calm down and take a chill pill… he takes responsibility so seriously, I mean he could hurt himself or somebody else that day… and he's younger than me, what right does he have to lecture me…?" He finally stopped. "Man, all this thinking is giving me a headache…" He looks around and sees a nice spot under a tree and grins. "A quick nap in nature will make me one with my inner peace… heh, Chris would like that." He sat down and relaxed up against the tree. With a smile and a happy sigh he fell asleep.

About an hour later….

"Everyone run inside!" Booker held open the door flap as the wind began to blow wildly, the clouds had covered the once sunny blue sky, a sudden storm was about to hit the beach. All activities for the day were called off and campers were ordered to take shelter in the cabins. "Hurry up Triple H…" Booker growled.

Triple H entered last and shot him a look over his shoulder, "How responsible of you, but may I remind you who the king of the camp is… you are NOT the leader." He finally stood inside the cabin and stared him down. "Of the nerve."

"Anarchy…" Booker turned around to face him back.

"Come on you guys…" Chris sighed as he sat on the bed. He gasped and looked up as the light flickered, the wind was roaring and ran had started to pour down in sheets. Chris shivered, "This is so out of the ordinary…"

"As Kennedy would say, it's global warming." Jamie laughed.

"Huh?" Chris looked up at that, global warming was a newer 'fad' but many took it seriously. Chris blinked as his eyes shook, had he been wrong about Kennedy all along?

"Yeah I know totally." Shane rolled his eyes. "All assignments and reports last year were on it, whenever he got the chance for extra credit or a book report, that's all he ever talked about."

"Hey, I hear you." Booker agreed as he sat down.

"It's all a government conspiracy…" Triple H replied coolly with a mere shrug.

"Guys, speaking of Kennedy…" Chris finally spoke up and the others looked around. Chris frowned, "Uh yeah, he's the only one not here…?"

"Ah, oh no!" Booker jumped up. "He still must be outside! We have to go out there and find him."

"Hey, no you don't." Triple H growled. "Whose the leader here…?"

Booker scowled, "Since when do you care about others anyway…?"

"Guys…. Come on!" Chris pleaded, a serious situation at hand.

"He's outside, he could be lost! I mean he's not dumb, he could be hurt, he's out there somewhere, we have to find him!" Jamie cried.

"Danger!" Shane jumped up at the call. "It's time for the superhero to make his entrance, this is where I come in to save the day!"

"No guys, we all have to stay in here, it's the safest thing." Chris said with responsibility.

"But we can't just leave a friend out there…" Booker countered, and Chris nodded.

"Alright then, come on let's go." Triple H sighed and led the way out into the storm to go look for him and help him if he were indeed in trouble. "Hurry up!"

"I'm the one most concerned, put off the act." Booker sneered.

Meanwhile, as they wandered, the sunned storm hadn't phased Kennedy in his relaxed sleep. He woke up and opened his eyes to cold rain and dark skies. Naturally he was confused and of course not a bit worried to be out in the middle of nowhere in the freak rainstorm. Calmly, holding a level head, he treads back safely to the cabin and arrives shortly after his friends had departed.

"Hello…?" Kennedy hears no sounds and enters, looking around to find it empty. "Huh, that's strange…" He finally gasped and froze, his eyes wide as he realized, he knew his friends well, surely they worried about him and had gone out to look for him. He whirled around, "I have to find them!" He jumped out into the storm and ran off.

Elsewhere…

"Whose great idea was this anyway…!?" Booker roared over the crashing water.

"Come on, the beach…?" Jamie yelled as well, they had gone to the beach first and the tide had come rushing in, sweeping them out.

"Honest mistake…!" Shane cried, they weren't able to swim back against the rushing waters and had all been caught too far out in the tide, past the end of the dock on the pier.

"There, beyond the reef!" Chris pointed as he coughed from the salt water sweeping into his lungs as he struggled to stay surface in the rabid ocean. "Look, the rock cropping there, we can climb back onto dry land!"

"Dry land, heh…" Triple H rolled his eyes at the ironic statement made by the smart one.

"Hurry!" Chris sputtered, his eyes shut from the splashing water flying around in the wind. They quickly swam but the water rose and fell, hiding the cave under the rocks and of course as they neared and were too late to pull back, it threw them into the cave. "AH!" Chris rose to the surface, gasping for air. "Oh no…!" He looked around with fear.

"Quickly, we have to get out!" Booker shook the long locks out of his eyes.

"No wait, hold back!" Triple H reached out.

"What? Why do something so foolish!?" Booker jerked away as Triple H held him back by the shoulder.

"Look." He pointed to reveal a small boat had come loose and was blocking the opening.

"Oh…" Booker blushed as Triple H smirked. Booker turned to him, "Sorry, thanks."

"And now whose the careless leader…?" He sneered.

"Guys, now is not the time…!" Chris coughed, growing cold from the water and shivering.

"We're trapped!" Shane and Jamie screamed and they all began to yell and call for help, realizing of course that nobody was there.

Kennedy finally reached the beach and looked around, "Where could they be? They surely wouldn't have gone up into the hills and looked in the wilderness…" He ran to the end of the dock and squinted as he looked out. "They couldn't be foolish enough to swim, they know me better than that…" He ran back off the pier and looked around the sand, finally gasping as he saw something. "Hey what's that…?" He saw a torn end of rope near the base of the rock cropping that headed out to the reef. "Could they be hurt or in trouble…?" He wiped the rainwater off of his face and listened, he could hear something. "That sounds like somebody calling for help…" He gasped. "Wait, I recognize that voice!" He looked around and saw another small boat that had been pulled far enough onto the sand to not get swept away. He nodded to himself and pushed it into the water, jumping in as he moved closer to the end of the rocks. "I know they are there, something is telling me… I have to take action." He smirked to himself. "Chris would be proud, I'm taking responsibility for my friends in a serious situation, heh." Finally he reached the end and gasped as he saw the boat trapping the opening. "HELLO!"

"Huh?" Chris looked up, his face had become pale and the others were tired and starting to freeze as well. "Did you hear that?"

"Are you hearing things?" Booker asked, helping to hold Chris up and tread over the water level as it rose nearly to the top now, they were fearing for the worst.

Chris sniffed, "I thought I heard a voice, it sounded like Kennedy!"

"Huh, really…?" Booker gasped.

"HELP!" Jamie and Shane wailed again.

"Hang on you guys, I'm coming to save you!" Kennedy called back and frantically looked around as the wind grew stronger and the rain pelted down harder. He noticed something, a big log that had washed up against the rocks as well. He grabbed it and pried it against the boat. "Hold on guys!" He used all of his might and was able to move the boat away from the cave and allow for the water to spill out, spilling out his friends as well.

"KEN!" Booker cried as they whooshed out.

"Grab on!" Kennedy called and extended his free arm. Booker reached out, holding Chris's hand who reached out to grab Triple H, followed by Shane and then Jamie. Kennedy used all of his might to pull them all safely into the boat. "Are you alright guys?"

"You saved us!" Booker hugged him.

Kennedy laughed, "Whoa, save the love for back in the cabin." They all chuckled but Chris began to grow light headed and his eyes glazed on his dazed expression. "Come on, you guys are in bad shape, we have to get you back, and quick…!" Kennedy used the log to row the now heavier boat back to the beach, Booker helping of course, the two friends smiling with determination at each other the whole trip. They reached it just in time and everyone got out, rushing back to the cabin where they shook off like dogs. Kennedy turned to take charge of the situation, "Quick Booker, get Chris onto his bed and cover him, he could catch hypothermia."

"Right." Booker put the weak blonde on his bed and wrapped the cover around him.

"Ken…" Chris shivered uncontrollably and coughed as he finally opened his eyes and looked up with a smile. "Hey, Kennedy…?"

"Yeah Chris?" He smiled between breaths, very tired.

"Thanks for saving us, you really took charge of the situation." He coughed and caught his breath. "I'm sorry I called you lazy, you were serious about the safety of your friends and took the responsibility all onto yourself."

"Well somebody has to….?" Kennedy smirked at his friends.

"Hey, don't forget who the king here is." Triple H sneered playfully.

"Hey knock it off, you and I can fight all we want, but…" Booker smiled.

Shane nodded, "The real hero here is Kennedy, he really showed leadership today."

"Yeah!" Jamie cheered with agreement.

"Bah…" He relaxed and laid down on his own bed as everyone else started to relax and follow his lead as well. "I didn't do anything any of you wouldn't have done in the same situation… I'm no hero, just a good friend." He winked at Chris who smiled back proudly.

The next day…

The sun was out in a blue, cloud free sky, you couldn't tell there was a storm the day before. The beach was shining with beauty, the wilderness in the hills were lush and green, some of the volunteers from the unincorporated small camp of Two Harbors were on camp today to help with the cleanup from the wind damage on the site. Two Harbors was a very small town of only a few hundred people at the max, they consisted of people who worked on the island camps and in the wilderness and lived in the town, they weren't rich and couldn't afford Avalon so they started to live in the smaller town.

Everyone had gone out to play, everyone except Kennedy who was the last one to stay inside as he sat next to Chris's bed, "So, take back what you said then…?"

"Yes, I said, yes for the last time." Chris laughed and let out a cough.

"Calm down…" Kennedy put a hand on his forehead. "You're the youngest, you really shouldn't take the responsibility all on yourself."

"But we can't let Booker and Triple H be the leader either, with the way they fight… you should really be the guy in charge, even if you are a bit lazy at times…"

"Chris…?" Kennedy raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, I mean that in a good way." Chris winked.

"Alright now, rest… I'm going outside now. I'll get you for lunch."

"Okay." Chris closed his eyes and snuggled warmly under the covers.

Kennedy ran to the beach where the others were playing, "The water looks great now!"

"Look out!" Booker gasped.

"WOOHOO!" Kennedy made a leap and the others ducked, but then looked up to see he had run and jumped into the boat from the other day. He lay back with relax as it swayed gently in the water. "Now this is more like it…"

"Kennedy…" They all laughed as the gentle waves slowly started to lull him to sleep.


	6. Silly Shane

**A/N:** _Appologies for the delayed update, I'm in the middle of moving over through the past month or so and we're almost done but my time on the computer is very limited and I'm soo so tired and SORE lol... I will try to update sooner and in the next few weeks hopefully all will be somewhat normal. Anyways enjoy this chapter and I promise to continue updating in the future _

Thankfully for the strong willed Chris Jericho, he had made a full recovery over the other day's stormy water excursion. The others had worried, since he was still young and his immune system had been lowered, they were afraid he could get something serious like ammonia and have to leave camp, but luckily with a few days of rest he was back to his headstrong, chatterbox self. Shane kept by his side mostly, he was determined to still find out what his super powers were, and perhaps use them to help Chris recover. Of course Chris thanked Shane and attributed to the fact that it COULD possibly have been a super power which helped him, which was a kind hearted lie of course, but that sparked Shane's determination to find out what his super power was. For every other aspiring young wrestler, their dream was simple. To rule over the squared circle with the world heavyweight title. But Shane had another dream, and this championship wasn't a belt made of gold, but rather a golden light that shone down a beacon unto the others. Wrestlers were heroes, but Shane wanted something more, to be a super wrestling hero, and he was determined to find his super power and use it to not only rule righteousness over the WWE but to be a champion who helped others, rather than diminish them with his might.

"You know…" Chris was saying as he sat on his bed. "Sometimes when a martial artist trains, they go out into the wilderness."

"Yeah… ?" Shane perked up.

"And I mean, there is tons of wilderness outside of the camp, maybe if you isolate yourself and be just alone with your thoughts, it will help you find the right way, if not the answer itself."

"Hmm… you know what, you're right Chris! I think I should try it!" Shane jumped off his bed and ran out the door. "Thanks!"

"Oh boy…" Chris waved, wearing a worried expression behind the smile. "I hope I just didn't add fuel to the fire…"

Shane ran with great excitement out up past the trees that served as campground boundary, he climbed over the rocks and running through the bushes until he felt he reached far enough away from the cabins and ocean to be at one with nature and help find himself. He sighed and sat down on a large boulder and looked up at the sky, a high up breeze blew some gentle wisps of clouds overhead as the sun shine brightly down on the island. He took a deep breath and let it out with a long, content sigh as he opened his eyes and nodded to himself.

"Well, time to get to work…" He positioned himself comfortably and shut his eyes. With nothing to see with his eyes, his ears began to pick up the sounds of the surroundings around him. The wind rustled leaves in the trees, small animals scurried under the bushes, a pebble fell off a large rock and tumbled down the hill. Shane groaned with frustration and opened his eyes, standing up to shout, "How can I focus when it's so loud out here…!? Ugh." He flopped down and put his chin on his hand. "Maybe Chris was wrong for once, I need quiet… how can martial artist train in the nature when it's so busy and complicated around them…?" As he stared something stirred in a nearby bush. "Hmm…?" His ears picked up the sound quickly and he remained still, moving only his eyes in the direction. "Oh, ah…!" He smiled as he saw the small creature emerge from hiding. "It's a slender salamander!" He watched as it began to climb up the nearby oak tree. He smiled to himself and then it hit him, "Maybe the animals ARE supposed to help me…!" He heard a bird call and the leaves of another tree rustled. Shane turned in the direction and saw who was behind it, "There's a tree mallow in that Torrey pine." He stood up slowly and looked around. "I'm glad I learned all the flora and fauna of the island before I came, that knowledge will surely help me as these animals finally and in do fact help me realize my true super powers." He stood with determination, clenching his fist at his heart, "Chris was right after all…! My senses are strengthening, maybe this really IS the key to unlocking my hidden super powers!" He raised his fist with determination. "Today is the day Chris, hear me loud, hear me now, my voice will ring over the island and I will make you proud…!" Hmm, need to work on the catch phrase…

"Ah… ah, ACHOO!" Chris let out a monster of a sneeze and wiped his nose.

"You sure you're okay…?" Jamie asked, having come back into the cabin to get something.

"Yeah, somebody's probably just talking about me."

"Hmmm…." Jamie made a face.

Shane was able to hold out his arm and have the salamander crawl on it, he giggled as it climbed around his forearm, "Hey, that tickles… cut it out, hahah." The mallow had also flown down and perched on his opposite shoulder. "Let's see now, birds eat berries and things, let's see if we can find you something to eat, mother bird." It chirped at him and Shane beamed. "This could be it, communicating with nature and getting along with all creatures… is commanding and working with animals my superhero calling…!?"

In today's activity, island study was today's lesson… everyone showed up after lunch with a notepad as they sat on the rocks along the beach while the guest instructor lectured from a book, "There are some animals that are starting to become fewer in number on the islands, take San Clemente for example with such creatures as the goat and loggerhead shrike."

"Weird names…" Booker whispered.

"Maybe that's why they're becoming extinct." Kennedy snickered and they both giggled quietly.

"SH!" Shane silenced angrily and they shrugged it off. Chris blinked confused, usually Shane didn't take much interest in these kinds of things outside of school… what was up with him.

"Of course all of the animals are dangerous."

"Duh…" Triple H rolled his eyes to himself.

"The breed of rattlesnake located solely on this island is one of the most to be leery of. It lives underground like most snakes but prefers to take on bigger prey, out of all animal related camper injuries, 9 out of 10 are due to this predator sneaking onto the grounds at night and hiding in sleeping bags. Its venom is poisonous and injury level varies per person."

"Duh…." Booker flopped his head down.

"Boring…" Kennedy groaned and rolled his head back.

"I've brought with me two of the main island birds, I caught these here in Catalina." He pulled out two small cages. "The first is the scrub jay, and the soot colored one is called a storm petrel."

"Wonder if that bird's capture created anger in nature to cause the storm the other day." Jamie joked and everyone snickered quietly.

"Hey…! Shh!" Shane growled again.

"Calm down." Finally Chris spoke up. Shane made an annoyed face but obeyed. Chris blinked.

"The spotted skunk and island lizard are also two of the more seen creatures of the day and night, but like most wild animals, they fear humans and won't attack, or rather interact, unless they feel threatened. Animal attacks are very rare here as they know the camp sites boundaries around the island. Two Harbors is a very small town in progress and right now due to cultivating the land, many of the animals are in distress and are coming into camps more often."

"What…!?" Shane gasped. "Oh no!" He began to think, the island, these animals, his super hero powers, they all had to come together here this summer, it was fate, there was a reason. "I have discovered it now… my super power, my reason to be a hero, these animals WILL help me. You were right Chris!"

"Huh….?" Chris looked up, they were all back in the cabin now.

"These wild animals are harmless and can be domesticated, I can use my true powers to make them good and get along with the people!"

"That guy was the one that mentioned the animals running into camps, I'm sure they're already well aware."

"But I have to let the people know that what they are doing is hurting the animals."

"But they, we, live in two different worlds…"

"No we really don't, we can co-exist."

"They're wild animals, Shane… WILD animals. Not pets."

"Yeah, they're dangerous… what you're doing is foolish." Jamie agreed.

"You can befriend them, they're young, they're just wondering around and living their lives, whether it's coming into the camps or being up in the hills."

Chris raised an eyebrow, "And WHO exactly are you talking about…?"

"Uh, well, I mean…"

Chris frowned with a warning scowl, "Shane, what did you do…"

"Nothing, I'm just doing what you said, I went up into nature to learn my powers and I sorta, well, bonded with these animals, and…"

"Are you nuts…!?" Chris roared as he jumped up. "You could've gotten yourself hurt!"

"No you see, you don't know, it's really okay!"

"You're no Dr. Dolittle… these animals are dangerous, what you're doing is foolish!" Jamie agreed with Chris's outburst.

"But, they can be, trained, like, pets…" Shane still thought and stood behind what he thought he'd found his super power to be.

"No Shane." Chris growled. "I want to hear no more of this, you should stop now before you hurt someone, or yourself."

Shane sighed sadly and nodded, "Alright…"

"Good."

Shane sighed as he walked off, thinking quietly to himself, "This isn't over, I will prove the nay-sayers wrong… Chris, you little know it all."

Chris watched him go, hands firmly on hips, then let out a sad sigh and an, "Ah, a… ACHOO!"

"I told you…" Jamie shook his head, Chris just let out a frustrated groan.

Shane ran outside and went straight back up into the hills to find his animal friends, "They don't know the animals, they don't know how they live, they don't see where they live, they just don't know it at all!" Shane finally arrived in the same spot and looked around. "Animal friends, come, it's me! I summon you!" He raised a fist in an unofficial superhero pose. He paused and looked around, "Little animal friends…? Aw, oh no, am I too late…!?" But he worried too soon, for soon they all arrived belated to his call. "Ah, good, you're alright. Come on, I have to show you to my friends so they believe me and will help you too."

"I'm going out, I'll be back." Jamie started out.

"Ohh, I see…" Chris made a sly face.

Jamie blushed, "Err, it, it's not that…!" He gulped, backed away and ran off as Chris just laughed to himself, alone in the cabin now.

Shane continued down, looking around as they snuck back to the cabin, "Looks like the coast is clear…" Nobody else was around, they had all gone off to do their own things for the time being. "Follow me guys, and stay close." Shane started off again and slowly crept around the corner, looked around one last time, and ducked back inside the cabin.

"AH!"

"Oh, hi Chris..."

"Shane…!" Chris gasped, inside the cabin, his heart racing as he saw Shane and the animals. He backed away on his bed, whimpering. "They're wild animals, they could have something or hurt you!"

"No, it's okay, I befriended them." Shane smiled at the birds, then held up the salamander on his arm. "They're alright, trust me, this is my superpower."

"Dude…! Get OFF it…!" Chris stammered.

"They need help, they're not dangerous, come on, you know me, you can believe me."

"It's gone to your head, man…!"

Shane frowned with frustration, "How can I prove it to you…?" They stood there for a pause and a gentle hiss broke the silence.

"Huh…?"

"What was that…?" Shane looked around. On the floor, a snake had slithered in.

"AH! SNAKE!" Chris and Shane shrieked.

"You idiot, you brought a SNAKE in with you!?" Chris barked.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Shane snapped back. He growled to himself, "He must've followed us, sensing the animals with me and thinking they were food."

"See…? I told you those animals are dangerous!" Chris growled.

"Shut up, shut up…!" Shane whispered. "Let me think here…!"

"Shaaaanee…." Chris stammered, the snake was cornering Chris, poising for the strike.

Shane gasped, "What, oh no…!" He frantically tried to think quickly, what to do…! "Huh?" He looked at his arm to see the salamander jump off, followed by the island lizard on the other arm, they ganged up on the snake on each side. "Whoa, look at that…!" Then from outside, a spotted skunk ran in through his legs. "Hey…!" He smiled as the three of them caused the snake to turn around and coil in defense. "Yeah, alright. Let's get him, guys!" Shane raised a fist, the birds that were perched on him flew towards the snake as well and began to circle him.

"Huh…?" Chris was baffled and still afraid as he saw the spectacle. "What is going on here…?" He had no idea what he was even seeing, or if it was even happening for real.

"Now, attack, get the snake away from Chris!" Seeming at Shane's command, the animals all barraged the snake, confusing it and freaking it out so much that it quickly retreated back outside. "YEAH you did it!" Shane cheered, the animals seemed to celebrate too, much to Chris's shock. "Are you alright…?"

"Huh…?" Chris looked up, dazed, to see Shane reach out a hand to him. Still confused and a bit afraid, Chris flopped down slowly against the wall until he was sitting on the ground, panting. "What was that…?"

"See, even some things can't be explained with logic. You have to believe in your heart."

"But, Shane…" Chris looked up sadly, but then stopped as he saw Shane laughing and celebrating with the animal friends, who now appeared to be indeed harmless in Chris's eyes as well. Chris sighed and then smiled, "Never mind…" It would be like breaking the news about Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all at once to be fake, to tell Shane that he had no super powers and surely couldn't communicate or work with animals. "I'll give you this victory Shane, thank you." He smiled happily amid the happy celebration.

"I'm glad you're okay, Chris." Shane was saying later that afternoon, outside near the end of the campsite.

"No problem, thanks for helping me…" Chris looked around, smiling. "All of you." Finally he grew serious and sighed. "Listen, Shane… uh, about the animals."

"I've come to realize something, Chris."

"Huh?"

"You were, you were right all along. See, this may have been a onetime thing to help me, but this is not my super power. Animals, wild and domestic and human beings as well, all live different lives, they may intermingle sometimes, but they aren't meant to walk the path together." Shane smiled. "These animals showed me, they helped me learn something about myself. Going out into the wild, living another life that animals live, it helped me to strengthen my senses and see beyond what I see for my eyes. I learned to feel things with my spirit. My super powers may still be asleep, but I am wiser now to the world, and perhaps that fact will help me become a superhero even better than before. And I have you, and the animals to thank."

Chris blinked, "Shane…"

"So now, my friends, I have to let you go back, live your own lives, fight your own battles, but do one thing that I will do of you… remember me, and let that memory and the time we shared serve as a guide to a long, happy lives. Together, or apart…" Shane stood tall and watched as the animals all ran back home in the wild.

"Shane, I know that was hard to do." Chris took a step of comfort towards him.

"No, it's okay, really." Shane smiled to himself. "And thank you again, Chris." Shane didn't turn towards him in thanks, but Chris understood and new why. So he simply kept the quiet smile, turned and walked back to the camp, and allowed Shane to shed the wise tears of farewell solo.


	7. Stray Dogs

Avalon is the only city on the island of Catalina, it was a very small town due to it being in such a geographical location on the island that prevented building more into the hills than the constructional technology of the time allowed. It was full of shops, hotels, rich homes, tourist attractions, and of course the biggest attraction of all, the beach front, filled with many small boats. There was little need for cars in the small town, there were some busses and a few police cars, and two fire engines, but that's all that were needed. But there is always something to take away from a paradise, every crop of fruit will have its bad, rotten apple. And the same goes for this small, simple island town. Of course on the mainland there were thousands of criminals and hundreds of gangs, and with the limited amount of kids in the city that lived and grew up together, there was enough for there to be one gang, and only one gang on the island, and rather than cause problems in the city, where it would be blatantly obvious that it was their doing, they would go out to the camps and cause trouble. There was little to do on an island town, and as the kids grew up and became even more bored, their taste for adventure would chance, as they would become teenagers. But of course, who would think that the rich kids of Avalon could be the cause of such a crime…? That's precisely why, they do it and can.

That night…

The campsites all around the island were dark as its inhabitants all slept after yet another fun filled day of adventures. The animals of the night did their bidding in the hills, foxes chasing down rabbits and other small island rodents, an occasional bird call, and of course the island mascot 'monster' roaming about freely. But more than just nocturnal beasts stirred in the moonlight. Swiftly, like a pack of wolves migrating and hunting down prey, the Avalon gang, cloaked in the darkness of midnight, ravaged through the camp of that night's choice victim. As everyone slept quietly, the pale moonlight shone down on the destruction as the pack of punks were gone just as soon as they had came, quickly enough to escape unseen, yet the wrath of their thirst for trouble leaving yet another campsite in ruin.

Morning…

"So hey, did you hear?" A voice was heard at breakfast from a far off table, naturally Chris's ears picked up on the conversation. He opened his eyes and swallowed his food as he heard the conversation continue, "There was some other camp further in the hills, it was ravaged, like a pack of wolves attacked it."

"Another one? That's the second camp this summer alone! Boy I hope we aren't next." Another chimed in.

"I wonder whose responsible? There aren't wolves or big enough animals like that even on the island." Whispers continued.

"Maybe it's kids, boy I hope somebody here isn't to blame, they could scapegoat…"

"Chris… Chris? Hey, Chris!"

"Huh?" Chris snapped out of his eavesdropping and turned to Shane. "What…"

"Are you alright?" Shane blinked with concern.

"You seemed off in your own world there, which is odd for being this early." Jamie eyed him. "Something wrong?"

"No, not really." Chris ate another bite. "Just thinking, I guess."

"Hmph." Triple H scoffed as he took a drink. "It's the summer, we don't need to think."

"Yeah, well Chris always has been the inquisitive one." Booker shrugged.

Kennedy smirked, "Always full of curiosity, such a know it all… especially for somebody who doesn't know it all."

"Hey, street smarts and book smarts are two different things!" Chris snapped.

"Too bad you fail in both." Triple H sneered.

"Hey…!" Chris dropped his fork and reached for the knife.

"Chris….!" Jamie and Shane sighed, putting a hand on each shoulder.

"Good one." Kennedy giggled as he patted Triple H's back.

"Yeah, totally." Booker did the same, Triple H just closed his eyes with pride.

Chris closed his eyes and sighed, standing up, "Excuse me…"

"Man what is with him?" Booker blinked as they watched him go, shocked.

"Maybe he's got a fever or is not feeling good…" Kennedy shrugged.

"I mean we're always like this, it's our nature, why would he take hurt to it?" Jamie said.

"It's early, he looked in another world, maybe he didn't sleep well." Shane thought. Triple H just continued eating, un-phased.

That next night….

Everyone slept in the cabin, it was late, the moon was full tonight, only Chris lay awake, staring restless up in thought. He was thinking about what the kids earlier had been saying about other campsites, and he wondered who was doing it, and better yet, who was next? There was a breeze like rustle that caused Chris's ears to twitch and perk up, his eyes opening fully as he sat up. He looked around at the others, sleeping soundly, only his catlike instincts could pick up on it.

"That was no gust of wind…" Chris laid low as the air hung still. He quietly crept over to the flap like ends of the tent that covered the door opening and peered through the small crack between them. He blinked his eye and gasped as it went wide, a flash of darkness, the size of a smaller person or a larger animal had just flashed by. He began to sweat, "What was that…?" He gulped and waited for the presence to move further from their cabin on the site, then he stuck his head out and allowed for his eyes to adjust to the moonlight terrain. He gasped, "Wait, who was that…?" He looked around and slunk out of the doorway quietly, not awaking the others as he crept through the sand like a cat on the prowl. He quietly cleared the tenseness in his throat and his senses picked up, he was good at stalking. He flattened himself back up against the outer wall of the nearest cabin and looked around the corner, gasping as he saw a group of teens, he couldn't see who they were, but by the size of them and the shape of the figures bodies, he could tell they were human. He blinked with confused shock, "Teenagers…?"

"Hey, what was that…" One of them gasped, causing Chris to freeze as the gang all stood tall like a pack of wolves sniffing the wind for nearby intruders.

"Somebody might be awake here, watching us." Another looked around.

"Man, we'll have to come back here later, let's go…" They ran off.

"Tomorrow night…" Another warned with a smirking growl. "You just get ready…"

Chris's body was shivering as he swallowed the dryness from his throat, "Tomorrow night, they'll come back again…?" He lowered his eyes angrily. Not if he could help it. "Yeah, we will be ready…" He quietly ran back into his cabin.

The next morning…

"Chris, hey come on Chris, it's past seven… Chris…"

"Huh…? Ugh…" Chris groaned as he slowly opened his eyes at the faint voice. "Hmm?" He blinked as Jamie came into view.

"Yo, come on, wake up."

"Jai…Jamie?" Chris groaned, was last night real or just a dream?

Shane came over and put a hand on Chris's face as he continued to blink the sleep away, "He feels okay… come on Chris, let's get going, breakfast!"

"Ah, oh!" He sat up quickly to see the others all looking at him. "Okay, embarrassing…" He rolled his eyes at himself and cleared his throat to address them. "Guys, there's something big I gotta tell you!"

"At breakfast, come on!" Kennedy pulled on his arm.

"No!" Chris yanked it away. "Now, in private!" Everyone listened in, Triple H paid careful attention under his careless exterior. "Last night I saw a gang of teens in the camp, they were trying to mess it up, just like we heard yesterday what happened to another camp!"

"Whoa, seriously…?" Booker gasped.

"I couldn't sleep once I heard about it, and last night I could feel something was wrong, and that's when I heard them. I snuck outside and saw them, but they ran off before they could do any real damage. But they said they were coming back tonight…! I don't know what they'll do, but from what I've heard rumors of the other camps, it's to terrorize to say the very least. " Triple H froze as his eyes went wide as Chris finished his story.

"Whoa, what are we going to do…!?" Kennedy cried.

"We have to form a plan." Chris pounded a fist into his hand. "We have to save the rest of the island and stop them, they've gone far enough, they're trying to ruin our summers, whoever they are, they have no right to try and blame others for their wrong doings."

"And how do you propose we go about doing this, Batman…?" Triple H lowered his eyes.

"I don't know for sure…" Chris sighed. "But we have until tonight to figure it out."

"Come on, we can't think on an empty stomach, let's go eat, we can talk afterwards." Shane stood up. "But we should keep this between us."

"Right." Chris nodded and they all went to the cafeteria.

After breakfast…

"Maybe we can scare them off….?" Jamie was thinking aloud. "If they get afraid enough to the extent where they think they'll get caught, they might stop."

"We could be heroes!" Shane chimed in with the obvious. "I'll have to be on extra guard, this might be my big chance!"

"Well whatever it may be…" Kennedy sighed. "They're going to sneak into the camp tonight when it's late and dark enough to destroy the grounds in secret and not be caught."

"I saw them, but not their faces, we don't even know who they are, but they are older than us, I can guarantee you that much." Chris was thinking. "They're not from around here, so we have to be careful to protect ourselves as well, we have to make sure they don't get to our cabin and ruin it as well, it will be the only one with nobody in it, open to be destroyed and looted."

"Why do you say that, it'd be a lucky guess?" Booker asked.

"They came from our direction." Chris pointed. "They came from that way and we're the last cabin on this side of the campsite."

"Chances are, if we get involved they'll see us and can find out who we are, they'll know we live on this camp… so we have to lure them away and scare them off with a lie… our only chance of victory is to deceive them." Triple H finally spoke up.

Chris blinked, "I'm surprised you're one to want to help with this…"

Triple H smirked, "If it's reduced to trickery and battle, you know I'm in, Jughead."

Chris smiled with a nod, ignoring the side remarks,"Alright then, we're all in it together… and I think Triple H just gave me an idea…"

That night…

The plan had been set, everyone was in places and everything was ready… now they just needed their players. Chris was the pawn, baited out in the open where he had seen them gather last night in the middle of the beach. He was sitting on a big rock where he would be easily noticed, going over the plan in his mind as the gentle sea breeze kicked at his hair majestically. His ears finally picked up the oncoming sound in the wilderness, he opened his eyes a crack and looked over towards the sound… they were here. Jumping out of the bushes and from behind rocks like a pack of wolves again, they stood their ground facing Chris as the leader finally walked out from between them. They all hung back as he stepped forward and entered the moonlight visibly, facing Chris head on.

"So, expecting us are you…?" He snickered, his voice was deeper but still his face was full of youth, proving Chris's theory of teenagers as being true. "You must've been the one spying on us last night."

"Yeah, and so what if I was?" Chris finally stood up, unafraid as the gang all snickered to themselves at the fact that he was just a kid putting up a fight. "This is our camp and you have no right to be here."

"Here that guys?" The leader laughed. "So this belongs to you huh, you can't be more wrong… see, this belongs to us, we live here, on this island, we know everybody, and you, kid, are not one of us…" He sneered down at him. "But if you want a challenge…?"

"Bah, you're just a wild pack of dogs… I'm not afraid of you, and I may be only 10, but I know I can beat you."

"So you accept eh? Good, I like a worthy adversary, even if he's only worth enough to last a minute and a half in battle, heh!" The others laughed as the leader took of his coat and let it fall into the sand, the roar of the gentle waves becoming the only sound between them. He lowered his eyes, the moonlight shining on them with glee. "Too bad, I'm not for beating up little kids, but duty calls…"

"Little kid? I'll last you more than 90 seconds…" Chris crouched down, taking the leader off guard slightly as Chris charged at him. That split second of flinching caused Chris to duck down and run past him.

"Hey what the…!?" He whirled around and watched him run off further down the campsite. "That little… tricking me huh!? Fraidy cat. Well I'll show him, come on guys!" He lead the gang after him, thirsty for vengeance upon being made a fool in front of the pack.

"And now to give them a taste of their own medicine." Chris smirked as he disappeared into the darkness like a black alley cat.

Finally the gang caught up and looked around, "Dang, did we loose him…?" There was a very loud sound that echoed in the dark night that caused them to gasp and look around frantically. Somebody emerged and the leader turned, "Hey, who are you….?"

Shane appeared, disguised in some mild superhero attire, "You fiends wouldn't be looking for a blonde boy would you?"

"Yeah, so what if we are…?"

"You're too late, for he is vanquished!" He stood in a super hero pose. "But you crooks are next on my list…!" He pulled out a thick chain and a metal poker, not his choice superhero weapons, but they would do the job this time.

"What the hell…!?" The leader roared with confused shock. A flame lit on a small torch flew out at them from nowhere, causing a start and they ran, it was so small however that it went out as soon as it hit the ground.

"This is going great." Chris poked his head out.

"The fools." Shane chuckled.

The gang ran right towards Booker, who was cutting up tomatoes to throw at them, but once they saw him in the moonlight, revealing him with a knife covered in red, they freaked, coming to a stop and running off into the next direction, crying out with the confusion sinking in and implanting the fear that the friends all needed to pull it off.

"You're up now, buddy!" Booker whispered loudly.

"OH, oohhh…"

"What in the hell was that…!?" The leader looked around, they had all stopped again, they heard the groaning ghostlike sounds all around them, coming from all sides as if to surround them. "Whoa look…!" He gasped as Kennedy came out, acting as if he were sleep walking, covered in red from helping with the tomatoes. "ZOMBIE!" He took off running as the rest of the gang screamed and fled as well, running back towards Booker's direction as Kennedy opened his eyes and laughed. "These guys are nuts, they're like, killing each other or something…!"

"Fire in the hole!" Jamie called and he began to hurl the rest of the tomatoes onto them.

"What the, barrage…!?" The leader shook his head, rubbing the seedy juice from his eyes. The gang was covered in tomatoes and they all ran blindly, crashing into each other and tumbling into the sand. "Ah!" The leader fell and hit the rock, cutting himself. "What is this… ah, retreat!" They all got up, shook themselves off and ran. "This is nuts, we've never had competition before, how is this possibly…" But there was a loud roar and they all came to a halt as a dark figure leapt to block their path. "Oh, whoa…!"

"You aren't going anywhere…" Triple H growled raspily as he raised a fist.

"This way!" The leader led them another way as Triple H began to chuck rocks at them until finally the sounds of whimpering.

"Yay!" Everyone regrouped to celebrate the victory.

"That showed them!" Booker rooted.

"Just goes to show you, they may have been punk teens, but they were still just wimpy little kids." Chris laughed.

"You were right all along Chris, we did it, we're heroes!" Shane cheered.

"Great plan, especially since we came up with it last minute." Kennedy chimed in with agreement.

"Too bad, I really wanted to get in some late night fights." Triple H sighed, everyone laughed at him.

"Well, too bad, I doubt they'll be coming back again, so at least they learned their lesson." Chris stood proudly.

Back in Avalon, the gang had all run back home, panting from the confusion, cleaning their selves off from the humiliation, and licking their wounds. The leader stood up growling, "This won't be the end of it… we know who you are and were you live. You, my young blonde friend, have just started a war you are too young to complete… My name is Ashton, leader of the only gang in Avalon. This my home, the island is our territory, and now, young camper, you are mine…! Enjoy your summer, for it will be your last."


	8. Who Likes Books Anyway

Friday night came at last. Friday was the free day of the week at camp, such as Monday was usually the most activity filled. So to celebrate everyone's favorite day of the week, the gang planned a mock 'sleep over' for the eventless night.

"This is gonna be so great!" Jamie bounced with his sleeping bag.

"I'm gonna tell some stories." Chris snickered.

"Aw man…" Shane covered his head in dismay, causing everyone to laugh.

Triple H came in with firewood, "So if we light this in the back behind the building, nobody will see."

"Great, this will be perfect!" Kennedy beamed.

Booker groaned, "But it's the same old thing we do every night, sleep… what's the big deal?"

"This is just like camping out and having a sleep over, it's a whole world of difference." Shane poked his head back out.

Booker rolled his eyes, "Whatever…" He walked off. Everyone just looked at each other and shrugged.

"Too bad we don't have marshmallows, you know for smores." Chris sighed as they all started to set up their beds out back around the fire pit.

"For some more what?" Jamie asked.

"Smores."

"Yeah, some more what?"

"….smores."

"Some more of WHAT!?"

"SMORES!" Everyone yelled back.

Chris frowned and spelled it, "S-M-O-R-E-S, smores!"

"OH, sm-ores… why didn't you just say so?" Jamie smiled, causing Chris to twitch.

Restless Booker sat on the porch and watched as everyone talked and joked happily, "Hmph, look at them… the fools, they don't know what they're doing isn't that great. We have a sleep over practically every day when we're at camp… foolish…" He perked up and smirked. "Hey, yeah… heh, fool…" He snickered to himself.

"Hey check it out, look what I found!" Shane rushed back with some hot coco mix from the cafeteria, everyone became excited.

"Now's a good chance to start…!" Booker whispered to himself as he got up and went into action. He was planning to spend the endeavor playing tricks on the others.

"Here, I'll light the fire." Triple H stood up.

"I have the water here, in this pot!" Booker called as he ran over.

"Oh hey, that's great." Chris turned around with a grin.

"Oh, uh, whoops." Booker pretended to lose his footing and the pot flew.

"Look out!" Shane covered himself again.

"AH!" Chris was covered in water.

Booker started to laugh, unable to contain himself as Chris was sopping wet, "Oh my gosh! Oh man, ah, I'm so sorry!"

"No, no biggie…" Chris shook himself of like a dog. "Ah, ACHOO!"

Kennedy lowered his brow and studied his friend, "That wasn't very nice, Book. You should be more careful."

"I'm sorry, really I am." Booker held up his hands.

"Accidents happen." Jamie shrugged.

"Yeah, alright, whatever…" Kennedy still wasn't convinced, he knew his friend better than that.

"Here, I'll even go get more." Booker picked the pot back up and ran off.

"Hey, you should light the fire for Chris." Kennedy suggested.

"Sure." Triple H lit the fire and Chris continued to dry himself off, still irked since he didn't like to get wet much at all, while having his clothes on at least to boot.

"Now for a new trick, next in the act… the vanishing flame." Booker made a very small hole in the bottom of the pot, filled it with water, and quickly ran out of the bathroom and back towards the spot. "I'm back guys, sorry it took so long!"

"Nah, it's cool." Shane waved as Chris coughed into his fist from the cold.

Booker slowed and walked carefully and handed the pot to Chris, "Here you go, dry and all in one piece this time."

"Thanks." Chris put it over the fire. "Okay now pour in the chocolate powder mix."

"I got it." Jamie stood up and went over.

"Hey, the flame!" Triple H pointed at the flickering light.

"Oh no, what happened?" Shane gasped.

"Chris you idiot, you spilled water onto the flame!" Triple H growled.

"Huh…?" He looked up, not paying attention.

"You're such a ditz!" Triple H hit him upside the head.

"Ow, hey, what did I do…!?" Chris whined, rubbing the sore spot. Booker snickered quietly.

"You get wet, you spill water onto the fire, what will you ruin next, sneeze and blow away all of the powder!?" Triple H roared.

"Ah, ah…"

"Don't…!" Triple H warned.

"God, I was faking…!" Chris growled and stood up, a brawl ready to ensue. Booker laughed harder this time, knowing how to two hot heads would get around each other in a squable.

"Hm?" Jamie turned to him, hearing him making sounds.

"That is IT!" Chris snarled back and they both got ready to fight. That was the line, Chris was sick and tired of always being the scapegoat and getting picked on, and now it was time for the fur to start flying.

"Hey wait, stop!" Jamie stood up, getting all attention. "Booker, why are you laughing, what do you know about this?"

"Huh!?" Booker looked lost and everyone turned their attention to him.

"Hey, the pot…!" Kennedy gasped and everyone looked and gasped as well. "The water is all gone."

"What did you DRINK IT!?" Triple H snapped at Chris who bared his teeth back at him.

"No, wait, look." Kennedy picked it up and felt the bottom. "A small hole…" He leered at Booker. "This smells like you, Book… spilling the water, ON ACCIDENET, and now giving us a pot… with a HOLE in it!"

"Hey, yeah…!" Jamie leered along with Kennedy.

"It does. Chris is clumsy but he's not that much of an airhead." Shane nodded angrily in agreement, causing Chris to make a face of mixed expression.

"Aw come on guys, it was all just a joke." Booker shrugged meekly.

Shane, Jamie, Kennedy, Chris and Triple H stood in line to face him, all speaking in turn, "If that's your idea, of a good rib…" "Then I don't know…" "Why we even want…" "To play with you…" "In the first place."

"I told you, I was just having a little fun… I didn't mean to…"

"Look." Kennedy cut Booker off and stepped up, feeling that as his best friend it was he who should be the one to say this. "Maybe you should just go back to the cabin."

"Huh…? But what about the…"

"You heard him." Chris frowned, still very angry and not one to lose his cool.

Booker sighed, "Fine, you don't want me here, no problem, I am OUT!" He ran off.

Kennedy sighed and Chris turned to him, "It had to be said, Ken…"

"Yeah, I know, but… maybe I could've said it a little nicer."

Later…

The fire pit was barely lit and everyone was fast asleep. Booker had returned to the scene of the crime, watching from behind a rock as he rested his chin on his arms thinking about what he did. He found a chunk of a big tree branch and picked it up, starting to play with it as he realized maybe it was time to give up all the jokes and having too much fun, kidding around with the others and stuff like that, especially with Chris. He sighed and fiddled with it with his finger and it accidentally slipped off the rock.

"Whoop!" He gasped as it rolled down the slope and fell towards his friends. "Uh oh…"

"Ow!" It hit every single one of them in turn and woke them, they all shook their heads, feeling a bit sore and bewildered and looked up glaring towards the direction of it's roll.

"Uh, hi guys…" Booker waved.

"That's it man, you can't even let us sleep anymore…!?" Kennedy had been pushed over the edge now as well.

"No, no, it's not like that, it was an…"

"Oh, and accident?" Chris stood up, growling next to Kennedy.

"Yes, but…"

"Save it man. We don't want to hear it anymore." Kennedy said in a 'and that's final' tone.

"But, but…" Booker stammered as Kennedy pointed for him to leave.

"I think you need some time to be alone."

Booker sighed and started off, "Fine, if that's how you really feel, I'll see you later… maybe…" He walked off into the darkness.

Kennedy sighed, "I just don't know what to do anymore, man, maybe I was too hard on him…"

"No, he needs to learn the result of things, he'll cool off and walk it off, don't worry, tomorrow morning, everything will be fine." Chris assured, patting his shoulder.

That morning…

"Ah, things aren't fine Chris, you were wrong!" Kennedy whined.

"Ugh…" Chris groaned.

"Where is Booker, he's not here, nobody has seen him, OH where could he be…!?" Kennedy was frantic.

"Calm down, he probably needs some time alone still, give it a bit, please." Chris tried to calm him down to no avail.

"He's lost, or hurt, or… worse!"

"Oh come on, get real…" Triple H growled.

"You gotta find him!" Kennedy begged at Triple H's feet much to his shock. "PLEASE!"

"Ugh, oh alright, fine…. Just, get off." Triple H kicked gently to get free. "But you owe me big time… BIG." He walked off in search for Booker. He had to figure the direction Booker had walked in and think like him and guess where he might go. Finally, up in the hills, Triple H found Booker's trail and ended up running into him. "Book!"

"Huh? Trips?" Booker whirled around, shocked. "What in the world are you doing here, and how did you even manage to find me?"

"That's not important, I'm here to bring you back."

"What, really? Why…"

"Well, you see, uh, um…" Triple H stammered, making a face, never good with sentiment. "I, we, I mean, the others, kinda, sorta… miss you."

"Yeah…?" Booker tried to hide the relieved smile he was feeling. He shook it off and frowned, "So what, you had your chance, get lost."

"What!?" Triple H snarled, after all that trouble…

"I have some new friends, I don't need to go back to the group."

"Huh…?" Triple H raised an eyebrow confused, what in the world was he talking about.

At that cue, a familiar figure jumped out and caused Triple H's jaw to drop and gasp in shock at the gang leader of Avalon, "You heard the kid, now scram it!" He picked up a rock and threw it at him.

"Hey…" Triple H dodged it. The others appeared and started to barrage Triple H as well. "Watch it, cut it out, come on…!" Booker watched sadly as Triple H ran off in defeat.

"Man that was great." The leader laughed and they started off. "Yo, Book, come on, let's go back."

"Yeah, sure, alright…"

Triple H had run back to the camp sight, the gang from Avalon had gone back to the city for a moment so they left Booker alone in their hilltop hideout, hidden in rocks and shrubs under a big dead tree. Booker sighed as he recalled how he ended up with them last night…

"Damn little know it all Chris and his damn big mouth, darn that Kennedy… I thought you were my friend." Booker sighed and stopped. "Well screw them, they aren't my friends, not anymore at least."

"Hey, you should do less talking aloud and more thinking about where you're wandering."

"Huh?" Booker froze and whirled around at the familiar voice, gasping as he looked up to see the Avalon gang leader.

"Lost there, little camper…?" He snickered.

"Get real, I ran off, I couldn't take it anymore… those so called friends of mine, forget em! Man, if only I could teach them a lesson, how not to take me for granite, to forgive and forget, to know the joker in me…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there little kid…. You just said a mouthful." The leader smiled with a slight chuckle. "But I think I can help you. You need a new crew? Maybe we could use you on the inside, so how about it, join up, team with us and you'll be a winner, and you can get back at those jerks that humiliated us."

"Hey, yeah…" Booker wore a crafty smile. "And I think I know just how to do it too…"

"Come on, let's go to our base and talk." The leader led him off. "By the way, the names, Ashton."

"I'm T, Booker T."

Back at the camp…

"He's not coming back?" Kennedy wasn't too happy with the news to say the very least.

"He can do whatever he wants to, it's his choice."

"Well what are we going to do, we can't force him." Chris agreed with Triple H.

"But we're his friends, the gang could hurt him!" Shane cried.

"Got a point there…" Jamie nodded.

"Then we should go get him, and make him come back… we have to save him." Chris began to think.

"I told you though…" Triple H watched them walk off. "I had no luck…" He sighed and looked around. "Well, might as well go with them, I've got nothing better to do, and they'll just get themselves into trouble if I don't go…"

It had become later in the afternoon by the time Kennedy and the group of friends had reached the place where Triple H had last seen Booker. It was near the hideout, it was darker because the trees were bigger, there were plenty of large rocks and the bushes were all seeming to wilt. It was the perfect setting for a fight, and that's what they were prepared to do, fight for their friend, to save him and bring him back.

"Booker!" Kennedy called as they walked, finally stopping to look around. "Book, where are you?"

"Yo, T!" Chris began to call out as well.

"I'm telling you guys, he did not want to come back…" Triple H persisted.

From hiding further up in the hill, Booker and Ashton hid, "They're here… get ready kid."

"Yeah, right…" Booker nodded, they had come up with a plan to trick the group and now Booker was ready for the ultimate prank.

"Book! Booker T! Come on out, answer me!" Kennedy began to wander and he tripped over a large root, falling face first into a berry bush. "Ugh, gross…. Sticky."

"Hey, are you alright?" Chris asked as they all rushed over, but as he stepped, the ground under them gave way and they fell into a large hole, they all groaned, it was then followed by a series of laughter as Ashton and the gang appeared. "Oh no, look!"

"I told you." Triple H growled. "It's them…"

Ashton snickered and sneered down at them, "Aw, poor little babies, trip and fall…? Hah, well too bad, guess we'll just have to cover you in some more dirt!" They all picked up dirt clods and threw them at the group.

"Ah! Hey, stop it!" They all tried to shield themselves.

Ashton continued to laugh and looked up to a higher log, "Booker come on, your turn to join us!"

They gasped as Booker appeared, "Book…!"

"Eat this and choke!" Booker roared and threw clumps of leaves and other jungle junk down onto the group as the gang all laughed and followed his lead.

"Booker no!" Chris cried as a dirt clod hit him on the head. "Ouch!"

"Oh, mud in the face! Ah!" Ashton laughed at the target shot.

"Ah man, what's the matter with him, what's gotten into him?" Jamie whined.

"I told you now, ow!" Triple H shook his head. "He's one of them!"

"Damn you, we've lost him!" Kennedy roared.

"Quick, let's get out of here!" Shane cried.

The gang continued to laugh and barrage them until Booker grabbed a small rock and threw it and it accidentally hit Ashton, "AH, ow, hey!"

"Oh sorry, my bad…"

"That hurt!"

"It was an accident, come on…"

"Ugh…" Ashton growled and spat, letting it go.

"You believe me, right…?"

Ashton sighed, "Yeah, yeah, alright fine… Let's just get back to business… HEY!" Ashton turned around to see that they had managed to climb out of the hole by using a vine hanging down from one of the tree branches near the hole. "Aw, such rough luck!"

"Don't worry, we'll get em next time." Booker jumped down.

"Hmm, yeah, you're right, we will get them… and by we I mean YOU!" Ashton smirked.

"What?"

"And by next time, I mean now!"

"I don't get it…"

"Then I'll tell you what I want, I want you, to go after, them."

"Huh, why?"

"You know where they go, you were with them once."

"But…"

"Do it, or else you're out. Go, now." Ashton made a slashing motion across his neck.

Booker sighed, "Alright fine, I'll go…" He walked off.

"Ah, what in the hell happened to him…?" Kennedy was very upset.

"I don't know what happened back there, but I tell you that I told you so." Triple H growled.

"Man, what are we gonna do now guys…?" Chris sighed.

"I don't know, I mean, what can we do?" Jamie asked.

"I'll tell you."

"Huh?" Shane turned around. "Whoa!"

"Hm?" They all tuned too and gasped. "Booker!"

"Alright guys, here's the scoop." Booker jumped down, smiling.

"Ah, you son of a…!" Triple H snarled and grabbed him by the collar, bringing him nose to nose as he raised a fist. "I'm so gonna waste you!"

"H, no!" Chris cried.

"Wait." Kennedy stepped up and Triple H let him go. Kennedy leered at Booker, "He's my best friend, so he's mine…"

"Guys, listen please. This is all just a big…"

"Accident, joke?" Chris growled.

"Yeah, a joke!"

"Huh?" Everyone was confused.

"See, I set up those punks. I wanted to get revenge, but not on you guys, and when I saw them I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get the gang out of there. So I plotted to help them get even with you but now my real trick is to have us teach them a lesson and get back at those teen gangster wanabes!"

Kennedy raised an eyebrow, "And do then now where in the plan are you, how do we go about doing this?"

"Oh, you just leave that to me…"

Not too long later…

Ashton was pacing back at the empty hole as he waited for Booker, "Ah finally, there you are. Where have you been?" He looked around. "Hey, and where's those jerks?"

"I don't know, couldn't find them, they must've gotten away."

"Oh no, they're here, I can sense them…" He looked around slowly. "I can feel them nearby…."

"Hey, what's that?" Booker pointed in another direction.

"Huh, what?" Ashton turned around quickly and tripped over a small log that had been placed carefully close to him. "Whoa!" He staggered in the moist dirt.

"AH!" The others screamed as they all fell into the hole as well as the weak ground gave away under them and they then fell into the hole. "Oh, ow…"

Booker ran over, "Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah…" Ashton coughed and shook the mud clumps from his hair. "Now get us outta here!"

"Here, the vine! Grab on!" Booker pointed.

"Yeah." Ashton sneered and grabbed on, starting to climb just like the kids had done, but it was weak and tore. "Ah!" He fell down onto the others.

"Bombs away!"

"What?" Ashton looked up to see Kennedy and his friends. "You guys…!"

"Yup, have a nice trip?"

"Why you…"

"See you next summer, or rather… FALL!" Booker smirked.

"What, oh no… why you!" Ashton snarled and on cue the muddy wall fell down and they all slipped and slide down a long slope that ended up throwing them into their hideout, dirty, sore, and angry. "Why that cheap little… ugh, we'll get you yet you punks…!"

Back at the cabin…

Everyone was talking and laughing, rejoicing over their victory as Booker finished the story, "So I hope they think twice before messing with us, or anyone else ever again at camp."

"Wow that was so well put together, I don't know how you managed it." Chris beamed.

"Meh, well a joker has to plan out his pranks well, otherwise you see through them and they don't work."

"I suppose, but, you really went too far with us this time." Kennedy frowned slightly.

"Yeah I know, and I'm sorry. I promise to be better from now on." Booker raised his hand in oath.

Kennedy smirked, "Somehow I doubt that, but I'll take your word for it and believe you, for now…"

"Hey…!" Booker laughed.

"Friends?" Kennedy extended his hand.

"Friends." Booker smiled and they shook hands as everyone watched happily as everything was now back to normal.


	9. How The Chris Lost His Voice

It was a beautiful and peaceful day off at the camp today as 'body counselors' or rather 'body crushers' Kane and Kurt Angle surveyed the view of the surf and sand from the edge of the wilderness above the grounds.

Kurt let out a deep breath, "Smell that ocean air, what a calm day…"

"Yeah, it is boring." Kane growled from the rock he sat on.

Kurt looked down at his colleague, as he sat on the branch in the tree above him, "I agree, so why don't we liven things up a bit?"

Kane nodded, "Yes, that will be suitable…" They both began to snicker quietly.

From in the shadows of the turf behind them, a set of eyes stalked the duo from afar. The culprit lifted his head to reveal that it was none other than the scouting Chris, "Ah, and the wolf stalks its prey. They may pray for mercy, but they will find no mercy from me." He leapt over a fallen log and stood proudly in the sunlight during his not so inner monologue, "For I, am a wild cat. Sharp of skill, and sharper wit." He jumped out between the two and let out a loud and frightening roar… and by loud and frightening I mean a pathetic and wimpy, "Breahwr…" Chris froze and clenched his neck from the strange sound, as the duo turned nonchalant and then glanced back at each other.

"If nothing happens soon, I just might fall asleep from boredom." Kurt hopped down.

Kane stood up, "Let's just go back to the cabin then." They walked off, leaving Chris baffled.

"Oh great champion…"

"Who!" Chris squeaked, then swallowed his shock and looked around carefully. "What was that…?"

Triple H snickered quietly to himself as he revealed his presence watching not too far away, "That was a great rib." He smirked. "What were you trying to do there, Chrissy, trying to TALK them to death?" He laughed behind his hand.

"Oh yeah, I'll show you." Chris growled and jumped down to face him. "See here now!" Triple H turned to go and Chris chased after him, "I…!"

"You, what!?" Triple H leered menacingly towards him, stopping dead in his tracks.

Chris froze, trying not to stammer, the shock taking him again off guard, "I, I'm just, as good as you… or, pretty close to it, at least, more of less, figuratively speaking, even maybe in the ball park of possibilities…" He wandered off, the silence between words seeming like ages.

Triple H scoffed, "Please. If YOU can move as fast as your MOUTH, I might even consider you a real challenge in the ring." He led Chris towards a familiar mound of creature. "So, just to make our wager, interesting… Buffalo boxing." He picked up a small stone and hurled it, landing on the buffalo as it stood up, growling from its interrupted sleep and turning to the children. Chris and Triple H shot each other a quick glance and took off running. "This will be cake!" Triple H took off.

"Why you…" Chris panted as Triple H weaved through the rocks ahead of him.

Hearing commotion, Kurt and Kane appeared, "Oh look at what the cats dragged in!"

"Yes, fun." Kane nodded. "We shall watch."

Kurt made a grimace, "You sure are talkative today…"

Triple H leaped carelessly over the fallen log. Chris jumped, but he was smaller so he had to climb over it. "He's gaining on us!" He stopped on top of it to catch his breath.

"Make that, you." Triple H smiled.

"Huh?" Chris turned around to see the monster mascot charging at him. "AH!" Chris took off running and nearly caught up to Triple H, who had turned around to watch with time to spare.

"Nice, you pass round one, track and hurdles." He took back off again and they reached a small cliff that was about a half ring's length from the other. "Round two, long jump!" He vaulted himself with ease over the gap and turned around to watch from the other side.

Chris skidded to a halt, nearly falling off, and looked down at the drop, "Whoa…" He gulped and turned around as the buffalo came charging, Triple H, Kane, and Kurt watching with enjoyment on their faces. "Uh oh." Chris whimpered as he turned and shielded his eyes.

"SCRAM!" An echo roared through the small canyon, the buffalo made an immediate stop and whirled back around at Triple H's command. "I, am THE GAME!" His loud voice boomed as the creature soon was out of sight.

"Aw, no fun…" Kurt sighed.

"I, concur…" Kane nodded and Kurt made the same face at him again. They walked off, unnoticed by the two blondes.

Triple H jumped back over, his voice eager as he boasted, "Did you see that buffalo take off? That is how a REAL WRESTLER uses his voice." He turned back and shouted out another catch phrase, "It's time to PLAY!"

"Feh, I could do that." Chris made a long, concerned, face as he drew back slightly.

"Really? Then by all means, go ahead." Triple H stepped aside.

Chris took a deep breath and cried out, "Y….2….Jaaaahhh…." He coughed as the voice in question came out as, not so much loud, as it did a hoarse squeaking whisper as he began to gag and clench his throat.

"Wow…" Triple H blinked between wheezes. "Awful. Disgraceful. Pathetic." Chris shut his eyes at the sting feeling of his voice leave his pipes. Triple H smirked with great amusement, "You've spoken SOO much, you big windbag, you've gone and lost your voice." He laughed jovially and walked off. "Now you really ARE useless."

Chris coughed again and again as he tried to sputter up something of a comeback before Triple H was out of sight. But with no use, he let his arms drop to his side and hug his head with a sad sigh, 'Triple H is right, I AM useless….'

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, the peaceful and glorious day continued as Mr. Kennedy ate some of the food he'd taken left over from breakfast. He lifted it to his mouth but bit down onto nothing as he felt it leave his hand, "Whoa, HEY dude, that's MY brunch." He leered up at the thief, Booker T.

"Sorry, but it's better to give than to receive." His friend smirked as he went to eat the prize, but suffered the same fate as it was raked from HIS hands. He stopped laughing and looked up at the bunk above him, "Hey, wait… you can't eat that, you don't want it."

"Says you." Shane smiled as he popped it into his mouth and let out a victorious giggle. As the game came to an end, in walked a very blue Chris.

"Hey, look out below." Booker joked, commenting on how down Chris looked.

Kennedy sat up quickly, "You, feeling alright there Chris?" Chris shook his head as he laid down on his bed, slumped and sullen as Kennedy felt the 'leadership for his friends' taking over in him, especially now that it was Chris that was down and it was Chris that had told him about it.

"Come on, talk to us." Booker stood up and walked over to his bed. Chris opened his mouth to speak, his lips moved, but all that came out were an occasional dry squeak or hoarse breath. Everyone gasped and Chris's eyes snapped open. "No…!"

"You mean, you're voiceless Chris?" Kennedy asked, Chris shut his eyes and nodded sadly.

"Whoa, Chris without a voice?" Booker was in ghastly shock. "That's like a, uh, giraffe with laryngitis!" He laughed as Chris felt even worse. Kennedy frowned and put a hand on his shoulder. Booker stopped laughing, "Oh wait, that pretty much IS the case." He started to laugh again. Shane watched with worry as Kennedy explored Chris's red tonsils with a spoon as his only tool.

"He was blown from way out of his league…" The same voice that shocked Chris earlier shocked everyone else, as Shane even let out a hiccup as Triple H walked in.

"Nonsense, I'm sure it's all in your head." Shane paused. "Well, I suppose it kinda is… heh." He put a finger on his chin, "Perhaps if I use my super powers…" He wandered off in thought.

"Come on, give the kid a break." Kennedy stood up for the younger Chris as Chris rubbed his sore neck.

"You're always so hard on him, you know how he is." Booker agreed, then turned to Chris with a smile. "All you need is the right inspiration. If you can't talk, sing it. You love to sing don't you?" Booker's comment caused Chris to perk up and smile. "Yeah that's it, you got it!" Booker nodded as Kennedy patted Chris's back like he was a boxer before a big match. "Take it Chris!"

Chris opened his mouth wide to let out a happy song but all that came out was a squeaky and quiet, "ahh…" He froze and shut his mouth, returning to his gloomy state.

"Nah, see here's your problem, a big talker like Chris, he probably just got all dried out." Kennedy walked over and got out some more of the stuff he, uh borrowed, from the cafeteria. "You just need some vitamins and fluids to slippery up your old talk tube." He mixed some water and fruit drinks together. Chris opened his mouth and froze, making a face at the 'interesting' flavor of the mixture. Kennedy rubbed Chris's shoulders again and grabbed his arm, swinging him in a turn for luck. "Shaken and stirred!" Chris stuck out his tongue, sick to his stomach from the ride as he turned to the blurry Kennedy's surrounding him, "Well…?"

"Ahh…" Chris clenched his throat and tried desperately to get a word out, but all he did was burp, frown, and then let out a sneeze as he returned yet again to the gloomy state.

"Hmm, maybe there was too much potassium?" Kennedy began to think again.

"Ah, it's useless, forget it…" Shane grumbled, upset in himself as the 'useless' word hit Chris's ears again. They watched as he walked off out of the cabin and he headed off towards the spot from earlier, sitting up in the tree and letting out a long and painful sigh.

"Hey Chris!" Booker called, Chris just let his head fall against the tree trunk with a thump as the gang appeared on the ground below him.

"We're going to the water, you coming?" Kennedy asked and Chris just made a disgusted face and shook his head.

"Well, you know where to find us then." Shane waved as Triple H flashed a big grin as he led the others off, leaving Chris alone to think in quiet.

"Hey Kane, I got a joke for you."

"I don't like jokes…"

Chris's eyes snapped open in shock as he sat up at the two familiar voices. He put a hand on his forehead, but since he felt fine, he continue to survey until he looked around to find the source, he glanced down to see Kane and Kurt standing by the rock below him talking.

"What happens when a bunch of campers go to a section of the beach where an angry seal is hiding, and nobody else is there because the adults told everyone to keep away?"

"I told you Kurt, I don't like jokes."

Kurt frowned, wearing a long face, "No, they think it's a private personal paradise and enjoy the hell out of it until they get attacked!"

"I don't get it…"

Kurt gasped with frustration, "What is there not to get!?"

"I don't like jokes."

Kurt slapped his forehead, "Did you hit your head today or something? God…!" They walked off.

Chris gasped with fear, only it came out sounding like a bad hiccup, and he took off. He ran and ran and ran, heading straight to the place in question. He ran under something, something big, and shadow casting, and owning a warm breath as Chris ran under the face of the buffalo. Angered once again it growled and took of charging after Chris. Chris gasped and looked over his shoulder to see the animal chasing behind him. He turned forwards and began to feel very dizzy as he saw the same crevice up ahead.

'I can do it…' Chris panted to himself in his mind as he mustered up everything, kept his eyes open, and made a daring, and quite wonderful, leap over the gouge and onto the other side. The animal skidded to a stop as Chris soon was off out of sight from on the other side. He smiled to himself as he continued on, 'Yeah! I did it, I made it.'

At the beach…

The kids were all having a blast playing in the water, especially since all the other campers were at other spots on the beach and they were none the wiser, they figured it was their good luck. Booker was trying to make himself look good for the ladies on the beach, Kennedy was floating on his back in the water, Shane was dog paddling around when he came up to Triple H.

"Hey Trips, wanna race?" He asked happily.

Triple H's glare of annoyance turned into a smirk, "Alright." He winked, "Set… GO!" He grabbed Shane, pushed his head under water and took off to a quick lead.

"Wahoo!" Kennedy stood up and did a cannon ball, splashing Booker in the process, but from down below the Jaws feeling began to set in as the disgruntled seal noticed a group of floating bodies splashing above him.

Booker opened his eyes after rubbing off the water and looked out of the corner of his eye to see his friends swimming around and the sinister eyes of the seal poking out of the water from behind, "Look out!" Booker pointed as the seal's head finally emerged.

"Huh?" The friends looked at each other confused but heard the seal let out a cry behind them. "AH!" They turned around as it dove into the water between them.

"Swim, swim guys, SWIM!" Shane screamed as they began to scamper around.

"Head for those rocks!" Kennedy took the lead and they reached the out cropping with relieved pants, but the seal dove and swam quickly beneath them and jumped out, perching on the edge, blocking them from the land. "Ah oh no!"

"We're trapped!" Shane covered his mouth in fear.

"GUYS!" Booker cried, too far off to even make it to help. The seal jumped and the trio covered their eyes, but nothing happened.

"Chris!" Kennedy gasped in shock to see that Chris had grabbed onto the seal and growled, motioning his head for them to get out of there. Kennedy nodded, "Let's go!" He lead them off as the seal reared his angry head and began to buck wildly as Chris gasped, hanging on for dear life.

"Hang on Chris!" Booker called, racing over.

The seal let out another cry and dove into the water, Chris growled to himself as he hung on as the seal swam and weaved to try and shake him. Chris felt as if his lungs were about to burst when luckily the animal jumped up and Chris was able to open his mouth and take in a huge breath of air before it dove back in. By now the others had reached the rocks and Booker had run over to help them out. Also now at the scene were Kane and Kurt, enjoying the show.

"Say good bye to the resident Canadian." Kurt snickered.

"But I thought you were a proud American?" Kane asked, and Kurt just growled angrily, slapping his forehead.

"Chris!" Shane cried as the seal finally jumped onto land down further on the rocks, Chris was able to muster up all of his strength and toppled the seal back into the water, causing him to become disoriented and swim off back into the ocean. "Yeah!"

"He did it!" Booker jumped up.

"Way to go, Chris!" Kennedy cheered.

"No…." Kurt cried and hugged onto Kane sadly.

"Get off me please…"

Chris caught his breath and helped everyone out of the water as Booker beamed, "That was amazing, you did a great job!"

"Yeah totally." Kennedy started to dry himself off. "Thanks for saving us man."

"Yeah, I uh, um…" Triple H drifted off, still in the water.

"You're welcome Trips." Chris smiled proudly.

"Chris!" Booker gasped happily. "You got your voice back!"

"Oh, I'm, so… glad." Triple H frowned, disappointed.

"Yes, and I'm glad to have it back as well." Chris looked down at him. "I just needed to give my voice time to heal." Everyone sighed and rolled their eyes, 15 seconds with his throat recovered and he was already back in his long lecturing speech mode. "I didn't need it to save you after all, although it would've come in hand." Triple H shut his eyes, closed his nose with his thumb and finger and disappeared under the water. "Oh and by the way are you ready to admit that I'm just as good as you are?" And so on…


	10. The Old Folks Must Be Crazy

It was another beautiful sunny day on the island of

It was another beautiful sunny day on the island of Catalina, the Pacific weather was doing its visitors proud as they could enjoy hours of fun on the surf and the sand. However there was one person on the island who wasn't anywhere near the beach. Chris Jericho was stalking through the bushes and trees, scouting the small wildlife in the grasses as he climbed over rocks and fallen logs as he trekked the hillside alone.

Chris took in a deep breath of fresh lively nature and let it out in a happy sigh, "Ah, perfect." He looked around one last time, narrating his exciting life to himself yet again like a documentary filmmaker, although in all honesty it was probably all just because he loved hearing his own voice talk. "And the wilderness continues to move around in its everyday life, unaware of the awesome wrestler that sneaks through its terrain." He crouched down, his eyes flashing with excitement, "So now we watch and wait, as another adventure begins…" His eyes staid focused on the clearing where he saw a large rabbit emerge, sniffing the ground and nibbling some of what the forest had to sample. Chris smiled slowly to himself and shifted his weight… then POUNCED! "RAH!" He roared, hopping over the rabbit, whose large ears were enough to give Chris's presence away just before he leaped. "Doh… ugh." Chris frowned, growling to himself as he sat on his haunches, watching as the rabbit disappeared. "Oh man…" He sighed and then cleared his throat to sound like a professional again, "Blast, foiled again. But never fear, your host never gives up." He went to stand up but froze, his eyes open wide. He could sense that there was something else out there, and not a rabbit either. Then Chris realized, it wasn't he who the rabbit had run from, Chris knew these animals were timid and didn't fear humans, Shane had proved that point already. No, this was something else, something, that didn't eat vegetation. Chris swallowed, lowering his brow. "Great, the hunt-er has become the hunt-ed…" He slowly went to stand up and turn around to face his stalker but the animal snarled viciously as it leapt out to face Chris one on one. "AH!" Chris screamed as the fuming fox went to attack. "Great, just my luck, this is so not my day!" Chris panted to himself, running blindly, not knowing where he was going. "Oh man." He panted. "Why is it attacking me? I saw the rabbit first! I was just playing! I wasn't going to eat it, I swear! I know you're probably just trying to feed your babies and, WHOA!" Chris was talking faster than his feet were running, he wasn't paying attention to the road ahead of him and he tripped over a rock sticking out of the ground like a sore thumb. He rolled and tumbled and crashed into a tree head first. "OW!" He barked hoarsely and then opened his eyes with a gasp as he saw a light flash over his face. "Huh…?" He looked around in awe, his eyes focusing on something hanging from the tree branch above him. The fox hissed behind him as it moved in to attack, "Ah no…!" Chris gasped but the light shone on the fox, it let out a yelp of fear and took off running. "Huh…!" Chris blinked in shock as he stood up, he watched as the fox disappeared and then looked up at the light hanging off the branch. "What, is that…? It saved me…." He climbed up the tree and sat on the branch, pulling the item off of the twig. He held onto the thin chain and batted the metal circle that hung off the end, "Whoa…!"

Meanwhile, back in the cabin…

"I say it's too hot to go swimming." Kennedy was speaking loudly again, as usual.

"And I say we should enjoy the sun, this is a vacation, not confinement." Triple H growled back.

"The sun is destroying the planet, the sun will destroy us! Global warming!"

"Please, that's just a rural legend."

"Don't you mean, urban legend?" Booker T corrected.

"No, I don't." Triple H said through gritted teeth. "Urban people are smart, rural jerks are idiots."

"Oh come on guys, can't we all just get alone?" Shane Helms tried to keep things civil.

"I'd say the heat is going to their brains, but, well they're always like this…" Booker sighed, backing behind Kennedy. "Triple H, just admit you are wrong!"

"Figures, you always side with Ken."

"Because you're never right."

"I'm always right!"

"Hah, wrong again!"

"GANGWAY!" Chris sped through the door, crashing through everyone and turned around. "Comin through… Oh uh, whoops, sorry. I thought you would all be at the beach."

"Oh, no, no…." Shane leapt up and covered Chris's mouth with both hands. "Please don't bring that up."

"What!?" Chris yelled, his voice muffled.

"Chris, we need a biased opinion here." Booker spoke up, Shane released his hold on Chris. "Are rural people idiots?"

"Yes."

"Is the sun killing us?" Kennedy cut Booker off.

"What? No…!" Chris blinked, confused.

"Well, Chris is young, he doesn't know any better. But I AM right!" Kennedy went back to Triple H.

"The sun isn't killing us, we're alive because of the sun." Chris protested.

"Chris, you always support me, why don't you believe me?" Kennedy was starting to get a bit miffed, Chris was the one who had changed him for the better, why would he fight him now?

"You do realize that this pointless argument is stupid." Triple H put his arm on Chris's shoulder, leaning against him.

"About as stupid as rural people?" Chris remarked under his breath.

Triple H snickered, "Yeah, right." Chris chuckled as they shared a laugh.

"Guys…" Shane was getting worried, Chris and Tripe H never, EVER, got along.

"We're right!" Chris and Triple H spoke loudly, Triple H behind Chris with his hands on his shoulders.

"No, we are!" Booker and Kennedy shouted back, Booker behind Kennedy with his hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah, you're wrong!" Triple H shoved Chris into Kennedy.

"Oh I know you are but what am I!" Booker pushed Kennedy harder into Chris, smashing them together.

"Ah, my eye!" Chris cried out.

"Please, people. Be adults here!" Shane pushed through them, holding them apart. He groaned, "Aw, man not this again… this always happens." He groaned, "Uh oh…" His arms began to get rubbery, he held his breath, his face turning red. "No, must, use…. SUPER POWERS!" His shoulders got sore quick. "AH!" He got squished between Chris and Kennedy.

"OW!" The three of them cried until finally Chris, the smallest, was squeezed out first, staggering sideways in an out of breath daze as he crashed against the wall and fell onto the floor. "OOF! Ugh…" He held his dizzy head as he caught his breath, the item from earlier falling out from under his shirt and reflecting from the light in the doorway.

"Whoa…!" Everyone gasped, it having caught their attention.

"Wow, what is that?" Kennedy was in awe.

"Is it magic?" Shane perked up, rubbing his scalp.

"I don't know." Chris shook his head to come back to reality as he stood up. "But it saved my life earlier, I think it will help me become a great fighter! Like a good luck charm."

"Oh, so no magic…" Shane immediately lost interest and walked off.

"Hey, it looks old…" Booker walked over to look at it. "This medallion is big, and kinda heavy to be a medal… what is it?"

"It's some man's pocket watch." Triple H scoffed, were they that stupid? He walked over and grabbed it forcefully, intently hurting Chris's neck as he did. He inspected it and popped it open, "Judging by the design it's pretty old. Huh, doesn't even work anymore."

"Well, whatever it is." Chris wore a big grin. "This, this old folks thing, saved me!"

Triple H went on in his normal quiet tone, "This is just a relic of a time piece, it's hardly a trinket to make you a fighter. You don't get more powerful with luck, only with training or, well, in my case, natural born talent." He scoffed arrogantly.

"Nu uh!" Chris jumped back, yanking the watch easily from Triple H's careless grip. "I'll show you, I'll prove you wrong."

"Yeah, right." Triple H snickered behind his hand. "That'll be the day." He stretched. "Now, if you excuse me, I've got punks to beat up…" And with that he walked outside.

"That big, bag of wind." Chris shook with rage. "I'll show him, I'll become the greatest wrestler ever!" He stormed off.

The others blinked and looked around at each other until Shane finally broke the silence, "Well at least the argument is over!"

"Yeah, and we won." Booker smirked as he walked smugly out of the cabin. "Victory via default!"

"See, I told you I was right." Kennedy beamed proudly, then relaxed on the bed.

"Yeah, things are back to normal." Shane sighed as he shuffled off.

Back with Chris, he had run off back into the hills to go prove Triple H wrong.

"I'll show him I'm no fluke, I'll find an animal meaner than the fox! I don't want to pick on her, she was probably hunting for her kids and it was my fault they had to go hungry. Maybe if I find a badger or something, maybe then I…. hey wait." He paused in walking for a moment. "Are there even badgers on this island…? Well, never mind that…" He continued on, his mouth flowing a mile a minute like usual, and not paying attention. "Anyway, I'll show Triple H." He stopped and looked around, then sighed. "Man, it sure is quiet here." He looked up at the tree he was next to and smiled as he got an idea. He jumped up and scaled to a higher branch and sat down, watching the ground below. "I'll just wait up here and get the drop on somebody, hahah, literally." He sighed happily. "Man, why am I always so funny when nobody is around?" He sighed and rested his chin on his hand as he sat watching and waiting like a good hunter should. He sighed sadly, closing his eyes. "Boring…" It was so still that even his broadcaster voice wouldn't pick up his mood.

"Boring!?"

"AH!" Chris screamed as he slipped off the branch in shock.

"Whoa, whoa, don't run away!" Booker cried, grabbing onto Chris's collar and lowering him onto the branch below him.

"GAK!" Chris stuck out his tongue and gagged. "OW my neck! Dude, that hurt! Don't do that." Chris caught his breath, rubbing his neck, once again being tugged on that day.

"Chill out man, you're supposed to be the hunter here. Why didn't you hear me?" Booker smirked slyly.

"Oh, well, I uh…" Chris swallowed, trying to think up a comeback but shook his head, frowning. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Just looking out for you, little guy. I mean you trying to become a great fighter here, you're the youngest so we have to protect you."

"I'm not a kid, I don't want your help!" Chris barked angrily, that was his pet peeve. "And I'm not little!"

"Well, your mouth sure isn't…" Booker muttered.

"What was that…?" Chris bared his teeth.

"I just wanted to see that good luck watch in action." Booker smirked. "Having any luck yet?"

"Not yet." Chris dusted himself off and grinned over his shoulder. "But it will."

"So! Then you don't mind if I hang around and see it for myself?"

"Uh, sure, well I mean I guess, why not…" Chris paused and frowned. "Hey wait, why would you want anything to do with this? You're already bigger and older than me, you're stronger and faster! It doesn't even have super powers."

"I have my reasons." Booker snickered and then dropped to the branch next to Chris. "Why don't you share it, come on, be a friend and let me see it?"

"You monkey, yeah right! Finders keepers!" Chris folded his arms.

"I just want to make sure you're safe, if I see you're alright, then I'll leave you alone." Booker snatched it while Chris wasn't paying attention again, he jumped back up to the higher branch.

"Hey, get back here!" Chris reached out too late.

"Hey, this thing IS pretty cool." He began to fiddle with it.

"Stop it, it's mine!" Chris growled, his hands clawed on the tree trunk.

"What's this?" He pulled out the winder and began to twist it, then popped it back in. "Hey will you check it out!" He gasped happily.

"You're breaking it!" Chris started up to climb.

"It's keeping time with the beat. Triple H was right, it is an old watch!" Booker froze. "WHOA, did I just say Triple H was right…!?" He laughed to himself.

Chris snarled as he jumped onto the branch and yanked it out of Booker's grip, "Now give it back!" He dropped down to the ground, landing on his feet like a skilled cat.

"Okay, fine! You win!" Booker came down, dropping from branch to branch until he landed onto the ground.

"Thanks…" Chris muttered, annoyed, as Booker patted his shoulders.

"How about this then!" Booker smiled. "I offer to you, that we share it. Half the time I use it, and the other half, you, and me use it!"

"What, no way!" Chris swiped at Booker to get away.

"Come on, either way you win!" Booker laughed.

"Just go away!" Chris ran off.

"Aw." Booker shook his head with a smirk and a sigh. "Sometimes I forget he's just a little kid…"

Chris panted as he ran until he finally stopped and figured he was far enough away, "Man, first Triple H, then Kennedy and now Booker. At least I know Shane isn't the kind of guy to act like them, well since it's not magic or super powered, and Jamie is too interested in the girls right now." He sighed and walked along. "All of this yelling probably scared everybody off around here, now I'll never get a chance to prove Triple H wrong." Just then Chris heard a familiar snarl. "Oh no…" He froze dead in his tracks and gasped as he looked towards a hollow to see the fox again. "No, I didn't follow you! Oh crap, this must be where the kids are." Chris stammered. "I swear, I'm no enemy, I'm not a threat to you or your kids! I love foxes!" This fox hissed and bristled its fur. "Oh no, that's not what I mean." Chris gulped. "How did it hear me, I was quiet once I got away. The burrow is hidden off from here, so then how did it…" He paused as he backed away, and a sound caught his ears. "Hey wait…!" The fox lunged to attack. "Whoa no you don't…!" Chris ran away. The fox didn't give chase this time, being too close to the den. Chris got away to safety and sat on a rock to catch his breath, "Oh man, what a day… I'm having a bad one, but I guess even a dog has an off day…" He stopped and then heard the sound again, he growled and shook his head to himself. "Ah man I must be retarded, it's the sound of this watch that gave me away. Oh man, you did break it Booker." He sighed and took it off around his neck, clenching it tightly in his fist as he stood up, reached back and threw it back off into the trees, where it landed like before on a branch.

"Well…" Booker smirked as he looked up from walking, a familiar light catching his eye. "Look what we have here." He jumped up and pulled the pocket watch down with a smile as he clenched it tightly.

Chris decided to head back to the cabin, he didn't have the energy for some fun in the sun and he figured Triple H would still be out, and he wasn't in the mood for another confrontation. Luckily, it was latter on, and Kennedy, Shane and Jamie were the only ones there, seeing as Booker was still gone as well. Kennedy was sitting on the bed watching Shane and Jamie arm wrestle on the small table cabinet on the back wall. Chris came in quietly and sat down on his bed. He shook his head like a dog.

"Whoa, I want the news not the weather." Kennedy shielded himself with a hand. "Say it don't spray it!"

"Yeah, yeah." Chris grumbled in his chest as he ruffled his damp hair.

"Wow, what happened to you?" Jamie asked. "OW!" He lost focus and his arm was slammed into the drawer.

"Yes! I win! Super powers!" Shane jumped up and down happily.

Chris made a face as Jamie rubbed his arm, "I was coming back along the river in the hills, one of the rocks was slipper and I fell in the shallow end. And a stupid water snake tried to attack me."

"Oh no, and it got your lucky charm!" Shane gasped, finally noticing Chris's bare neck.

"Cereal? But, lunch is over, right…?" Jamie was confused.

"I'll explain later." Shane whispered.

"No, I got rid of it, it just wasn't me. If it was like Triple H said, and some old adult trinket, it's not something a kid now a days would use. It would be a bad jinx. Besides, I have skill, you don't need some item to make you a great fighter, I'll use my own abilities."

"So you admit it then."

"Huh?" Everyone looked up and Chris made a sour face.

"I was right." Triple H stood coy in the doorway.

"No, I didn't say that, it was my choice. It had nothing to do with you."

"Please…" Triple H folded his arms, relaxed in his smugness.

"I'd rather gag a pen down my throat then admit you're right over me."

Triple H flexed his fingers into a fist, "Well then open wide Chris, cause you, I, and everyone else here all knows that I AM right…" He sneered. "Again, as usual…"

"But you have to be right Chris." Shane spoke up, taking his attention away from Triple H. "You fell in the river and got attacked by the snake ONLY AFTER you threw it away."

"No, it was bad magic."

"So it did have super powers?" Shane picked up on the 'm' word again, forgetting all else.

"So I was right, just like this morning. Only the difference is, you aren't agreeing." Triple H smirked slyly. Chris grumbled and stared downwards.

"Whoa, look out!" Booker cried as he stumbled in the doorway, tripped and fell on the floor.

"Hah, nice one! I give it a nine!" Kennedy laughed, sitting up at the Booker show.

"Here, you can have it back, Jack!" Booker threw the watch at Chris. "That old adult watch is bad luck, I don't want anything near it!"

"I don't want it anymore." Chris scoffed dryly, he was in no mood and was getting angrier.

"Just admit it then! You know it, I know it, everybody knows it! I'm right. I'm always right!"

"He's right you know." Kennedy replied quietly, pun intended.

"Even he admitted it. So, we're waiting… and…?" Triple H leaned an ear in.

"Whatever…" Chris sighed, standing up and picked up the pocket watch. "I'm outta here."

"Wait, where are you going?" Shane asked.

"To get rid of this thing before it hurts somebody else I care about, it's bad mojo. I didn't mean to hurt you Booker, I'm sorry I got any of you involved." Chris sighed and slunk off sadly.

"Wow, that had to hurt worse than a pen down your throat." Kennedy sighed, feeling bad.

"What, carrying around some dangerous adult thing and putting us in danger, or admitting that Triple H was right?" Booker asked.

"Uh…" Kennedy paused to think. "Those last two."

Chris didn't go back to a tree this time, he went to the river and threw it in, took a deep cleansing breath and walked back off, "I'll prove to Triple H I'm a great fighter all on my own. He was right, I don't need help from some good luck charm. The only tool I need is my own body." As he walked out of sight, the watch landed downstream at the bottom of some rocks. The water snake slithered over it just as the hands stopped ticking and the watch died to rust in the river.


	11. Candid Kennedy

**A/N**: _Hey, look at all of the chapters I found on my computer! I thought I lost them and just found them last week so now I'm starting to write chapters again. Though granted with very little free time it will be slow, and so for that I'm sorry. I look forward to meeting new readers, and don't forget my reviews, they keep me happy and well fed, lol._

It was a bright island afternoon and two friends were out wandering in secret in the wilderness. Booker T was walking blindly in front of Ken Kennedy who held his eyes shut from behind and led his friend to a special surprise.

"Dude, this is really starting to freak me out." Booker stammered.

"Come on, almost there." Kennedy encouraged.

"You've been saying that for 15 minutes!"

"Trust me, it's alright, I got you."

"God, I hope you aren't leading me into death here, or into some dark pit, or… even worse!" Booker gasped, stopping in his tracks and pointing blind accusations. "We're naked aren't we! Oh man, there are girls all around laughing behind their hands! Oh how could you do this, I thought we were best friends!"

"Shut up, butt face!" Kennedy yelled over his sobbing.

"And stop calling me that!" Booker wailed.

Kenned continued, ignoring, and pulled his hands off of his face, "And look around you!"

"Wha… huh?" Booker stopped and looked around, they were in the wilderness. "Whoa." He was shocked at the scenery, the trees blocked out the sun but the leaves were so thin that they glowed in light green. The grass was cut in a clearing and all around them were bushes full of flowers and berries. "What is this place?"

"I found it the other day and wanted to surprise you. This could be our secret best friend hideout, nobody else comes up here, I checked." He walked over to a bush. "And check this out." He picked a berry.

"No wait don't do that! It could be…" Booker stopped at Kennedy ate one and went for another. "Huh?"

"Don't worry, I've already eaten a ton of these, they're safe." He tossed him one. "And good."

"Well…" Booker hesitated but trusted his friend and popped it in. "Hey yeah, they're awesome!" He ran over and then began to chow down on the wild fruity berries.

Later…

"Wow I can't believe we spent an hour and a half there just talking." Kennedy laughed, wiping the berry juice off his face.

"Yeah, like girls." Booker joked and they laughed. "Anyway, I'll bet we're missed so we should get back."

"I suppose…" Kennedy led the way. There was a loud growl. "Dude, eat too much?"

"I thought that was you." Booker frowned. The growl was angrier this time. "Dude…!"

"AROO!" Came a vicious bark as a feral dog jumped out of the bushes.

"AH!" The duo cried out, hugging each other. "WILD ANIMAL!"

"RAH!" It charged for them and they took off running and screaming.

"Oh man…!" Booker pointed to see that they were heading for a dead end.

"Damn!" Kennedy skidded to a stop right before the large rocky wall of an overhanging cliff.

"Whoa no!" Booker shivered as the dog neared them, snarling.

"AH, looks like this is the end old buddy!" Kennedy hugged him tightly.

"It's been a great ride man!" Booker sobbed.

"ROAH!" A loud yell followed by a falling huge tree branch startled the dog, as he whimpered and took off running the other way.

"Huh?" Booker gasped in shock.

"What…?" Kennedy was confused.

A blonde poked his head out of the bushes behind a tree and came out, "Hey there guys, you okay?"

"Uh, yeah." Booker blinked, this kid was a little taller and thicker than them, he was obviously older and so wasn't from the camp.

"That dog has been causing trouble around here. I work at some of the other areas around here and we've been trying to catch him. We don't know if a tourist or somebody from the city let it loose, but we want to catch it before it gets any of the campers on the sites around the island." He smiled. "I'm sorry if he did you any harm."

"No, we're okay." Kennedy hadn't taken his eyes off of him, he looked like an older version of him, his hair was just an inch or so longer but he could just see himself turning out like this guy, so tough looking and brave. "Thanks to you, uh… uh…"

"Oh, sorry I didn't give you my name." He reached out his hand. "The name is Keith."

"Hey, I'm Kenneth!" Kennedy shook it.

"Hi Kenny!" Keith grinned.

"Uh, it's Ken…" Kennedy frowned.

"Oh, sorry…" Keith apologized.

Kennedy laughed, "Bah, just kidding. You can call me whatever you want!"

"And I am Booker, his best friend." Booker jumped up, hating to be left out and ignored.

"Yeah, thanks for saving us."

"Yeah." Booker cut his friend off. "But we have to get back to camp now."

"Are you sure?" Keith looked at his watch. "I thought we could hang out, I don't get to see many kids, my age or whatever, I thought we could have some fun."

"Really?" Kennedy beamed. "Alright, let's go!"

"So what do you want to do?" Keith walked off with him. Booker growled as he followed behind like a third wheel.

Keith and Kennedy spent all day hiking, climbing trees, hiding in the bushes from Booker and pelting him with little rocks and twigs just for fun, hanging out by the river, and of course tripping an unexpected Booker into the water. They laughed and enjoyed themselves all day, well, all except for Booker that is. The usual prankster was getting joked.

"Man, can't we do anything else?" Booker groaned, tired and sore and angry.

"I am getting hungry." Keith spoke up.

"Race you back to camp?" Kennedy suggested.

"Fat chance, you'll eat my dust!" Booker jumped up.

"You a runner?" Keith asked.

"No brag, but Booker here is awesome." Kennedy winked, Booker smiling proudly.

"Hah, this is what I do. Keith, now you're talking my game." Booker smirked, Keith was larger so he wouldn't have as much agility and endurance for a sprinter like himself.

"Alright, on your mark…" Kennedy raised his arms and the two got into a running stance. "Get set…. GO!" He swung them down and the duo took off running, Kennedy chasing after.

"So, you can keep up huh?" Booker smirked. "Well not for long, try this on for size!" Booker picked up speed and took off ahead.

"Okay, I gotcha… let me try it then…" Keith smirked back and sped up, closing the gap.

"What the….!" Booker gasped as Keith tied up next to him.

"Now eat MY dust!" Keith laughed and jumped ahead.

"Whoa, who is this guy…!" Booker sobbed as his sides and legs began to cramp. Keith reached the camp first, Booker arrived panting.

"And the winner is, Keith!" Kennedy cheered. "Wow, I've never seen anyone beat Booker, he is awesome but this is incredible."

"Bah, it was…." Keith went to lean against a tree but missed. "Whoa!" He slipped.

"AH!" Booker cried as Keith stumbled and landed on him.

"Oh, uh sorry little guy." He chuckled. "Wipe out!"

"Little, ugh…" Booker growled, he really did not like this new guy. "I'll wipe you out…" He grumbled to himself as Keith got up and dusted himself off.

"So hey, what's to eat? I was running that race on fumes."

"Well lunch is over but I sneak stuff out of the cafeteria all the time." Kennedy winked.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a water buffalo!"

"I could eat a pregnant water buffalo and still have room left for seconds." Booker sneered.

"Booker is a great speed eater, he can put more food away than anyone else I know." Kennedy beamed.

"Then let's have another competition, so I can redeem myself."

"Fine by me!" Keith nodded.

So the trio got some snacks from the mess hall, and took from the campers packs in the other cabins, and even took Chris's power bar right from his hand before he could even take a bite. They took their feast up into the hills so nobody would catch them.

"Alright, whoever eats the most is the winner, and because you're reaching into the same pile, speed is the key." Kennedy announced.

"And here." Keith revealed a bag. "I brought this for the trash so we don't litter."

"Yeah." Booker rolled his eyes.

"Ready?" Kennedy eyed both contestants. "EAT!" Keith and Kennedy ravaged into the pile of snacks as they ate and ate so far piece for piece until finally it was getting down to the wire, they were even with now the last candy bar in hand. "Can it be a draw? This is one for the books!"

"Ugh…" Booker tried to lift it to his face but he was starting to turn green, his stomach was so full he could barely breathe and he was surprised he wasn't starting to roll down the slope.

Keith ate his candy and then looked up, "You uh, going to eat that?"

"Urg…." Booker threw it down, Keith had beaten him yet again.

Later…

"Are you feeling better yet?" Kennedy asked Booker who sat sulking by the river.

"I'm fine." He growled, his stomach better but his feelings still hurt.

"You want to play with us? It's boring without you, you know." Kennedy tried to cheer him up. "I was just telling Keith how great a climber you are in these trees here. Right?"

Keith poked out, "Yeah, we could sure use your help too pal!"

"Really?" Booker perked up, could he be the hero this time?

Keith led him to a tree, "See those flowers up there at the top? There aren't many of these trees on the island and most of the berries are eaten by the birds before they can bloom. I would love to have somebody pick those, but I can't climb that high, my weight wouldn't be supported by the branches and I'm not that flexible."

"Ah, but I am." Booker winked and jumped onto the first branch.

"Careful bud!" Kennedy called as Booker climbed higher and higher.

"Forget being as sure footed as a cat, Chris could never climb like this." Booker laughed to himself. "No, and neither could that Keith." He finally got to the top but the tree was thinner at the top and the branches were creaking and bending in the breeze. "Whoa, uh oh…!" He clenched tightly to the top limb.

"Oh no!" Kennedy gasped, he wasn't a great climber, so he was helpless.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Keith rolled back his sleeves and scaled up the tree like a rock climber.

"No, no I'm fine, everything is… AH!" Booker cried out as Keith's approaching weight made the tree sway more.

"Got it!" Keith reached Booker right as the branch he was on broke and he fell down onto another, which broke and dropped him to another, and so on until he landed in a large bush on the ground. Keith did however reach the flowers in his hand.

"Oh man, are you alright?" Kennedy gasped.

"Fine…" Booker groaned as he crawled out of the shrubs as Keith got back down.

"I'm glad you aren't hurt, you're a fun guy to hang out with." Keith forced an embarrassed laugh, just relieved that Booker was alright. But Booker was also angry.

That afternoon…

Keith and Kennedy were still talking and laughing when they came upon Booker lying in the sun on a large flat rock, moaning and groaning, "Oh, hey guys…"

"You don't look so good." Kennedy frowned, getting a little bit worried.

"Oh, probably just the injuries from falling down that tree for Keith's flowers." Booker grumbled in pain.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to hurt you or anything like that." Keith sighed quietly.

"I'll be alright." Booker forced a dramatic wheeze. "Maybe I could just have some time with Kennedy in our berry patch? Just us, alone?"

"I understand…" Keith shut his eyes. "Here, I want you to have this." He handed Booker a familiar berry.

"Thanks Keith man."

"That was sure nice of you." Booker grimaced. "Giving him the very last berry."

"WHOA!" Booker jumped up in a miraculous recovery. "Hello, hold on here, wait a minute, let me get this straight here! Did I just here you say the 'last berry' as in from our patch?"

"Yeah, we just ate them all. Keith sure can put away food, and I'm surprised he's so fast and a limber climber for that." Kennedy replied.

Booker continued to rant, "As in our private secret best friend hideout?" He whined with frustration.

"Calm down, it's no big deal, you're taking this the wrong way." Kennedy stammered.

"I didn't mean to…" Keith began.

"Shut up everyone!" Booker yelled and turned to Kennedy. "You, pick your friends carefully, and be careful who you make an enemy." Then he glanced at Keith. "And you, two is company, three's a crowd, so do yourself a favor and get the picture and get lost." Booker stormed off.

"Sorry." Kennedy turned to Keith. "He can get like that sometimes, at least this outburst made somewhat sense. But still, he seems upset, so I'd better go talk to him and see what's on his mind."

"I got it." Keith nodded. "It was great to meet you two guys, you take care and maybe I'll see you around again sometime."

"Thanks." Kennedy turned and ran off after Booker.

"Well, better get on back to looking for the dog. I need to let those two friends patch things up." Keith sighed sadly and walked off, realizing that he'd come between them.

"That Booker has got some nerve." Kennedy was telling himself as he chased after his friend, he finally stopped by the river. "I'd better straighten things out." He stretched. "Right after a quick cat nap." He relaxed under a large tree.

Not too far, Booker was sitting on a large rock pouting, "Stupid Keith, why did he have to come into our lives? We had a great thing going until he came into it." He heard a growl. "Man, I must be hungry again… Hey wait, I recognize that growl." He looked down to see the wild dog from earlier stalking through the bushes. "Man I pity whoever he's praying on." He looked ahead and gasped as he saw Kennedy. "Oh no, I gotta save him!"

"AROO!" The dog howled as it neared Kennedy.

"Huh, what, say something…?" Kennedy gurgled as he slowly started to wake up.

"Dude look out!" Booker jumped down from out of nowhere.

"What is it, what's going on?" Kennedy awoke immediately.

"ROAH!" The dog barked as it stood cornering the duo.

"AH, oh no not again!" They screamed.

"Just get out of here, I'll distract him." Kennedy got into a battle pose.

"No, I was wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you either, you run away."

"No, I told you, I'm not letting anyone kick your butt face!"

"Butt face…?" Booker made a face and Kennedy started to laugh. The dog snarled as it inched closer, snapping them back to reality.

"Ugh, nobody to help us this time buddy."

"Yeah, we'll have to fight our way out." Booker got into a stance as well.

"RAH!" They screamed loudly, the dog paused.

"Hey, it's working." Kennedy beamed.

"Let's keep it up." Booker began to jump up and down as Kennedy howled and waved his arms. The dog whimpered and ran off, seeing Keith behind them and remembering the scare from earlier. "Hey we did it!"

"Yeah, I guess we did." Kennedy glanced over his shoulder, but Keith was gone.

"We make a good team don't we?" Booker let out a breath of relief.

Keith finally emerged, "Hey guys, you alright?"

"Yeah, you just missed us scare that dog off!" Booker smiled eagerly.

"Wow, I'm impressed! That's great, I'm sure that dog will think twice before ever coming back here. Maybe now he'll be less of a threat and it'll be easier for me to catch him. Thanks." Keith grinned.

"Thanks for all your help too." Kennedy nodded.

"I guess it's time to go. You sure you don't want to come along with me?" Keith asked.

"No offense, but I don't think I have what it takes to run with a guy like you. I'm just a kid here for the summer." Kennedy laughed and then winked, "Besides, Booker would be lost without me."

"Hey, say what?" Booker scoffed, grabbing his shoulder.

Kennedy smirked, continuing, "And I'd be lost without him."

"Ain't that the truth." Booker laughed, patting his back.

"Yeah, well I'd better be off. You guys take it easy!" Keith waved as he walked off.

"You know, he really wasn't that bad a guy I guess…" Booker sighed thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I guess not. I'm sorry I let him come between us. And I hope we're still friends."

"What, friends? Sure we are, somebody like him couldn't ever come between us and you know it."

"Yeah." He sighed with a smirk, turning to head back. "Well we'd better get going too."

"Alright, but wait, there's one last thing I need to discuss with you."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"I keep telling you… friends don't call friends butt face." Booker leered playfully at him. Kennedy just started to laugh again, giving Booker the opening for a tackle as they rolled down the hill and back down to the campsite. Friends again like usual, just like things used to be together, and how it should be.


	12. Triple Take

It was early morning and a new day was waiting to

It was early morning and a new day was waiting to happen, but all of those plans were about to take a detour when an unexpected surprise would befall into our friends laps. Kennedy and Booker T were running around the backside of the campgrounds where there was a large cabin style building where all of the supplies were held. Tall thick trees blocked it from the forest and wild animals, but they also blocked something else, something grand…

"Something fun!" Kennedy cried. "I have to show this to you."

"Show me what?" Booker asked.

"It's a surprise."

"Aw great, not another secret. Didn't we just get over something like that?"

"No, look!" Kennedy shoved him around a large rock on the side of the building to reveal something large, something bouncy, something…

"FUN!" Booker's jaw hit the floor as the duo gasped with joy.

"A trampoline!"

"Oh man!" Booker grew excited.

"They must be saving this for the end of camp when we have the competition tourney." Kennedy thought.

"Well finders keepers, this is ours now!" Booker ran over and climbed on.

"Hey I saw it first, I get first bounce!" Kennedy laughed, rushing towards it.

"You snooze you lose!" Booker giggled as he flipped and did jumping tricks while Kennedy joined him.

"This is great!"

"Wait, I got an idea." Booker stopped and got off while Kennedy watched. Booker climbed the nearby tree and got to a high branch. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, the diving competition!" He jumped off and did a spin in the air, followed by a high bounce into the air.

"That was great, on a scale of 1 to 10, definitely an 11!" Kennedy clapped.

"Oh thank you, you give me too little credit." Booker bowed while in mid air.

"Man, we gotta tell the others!" Kennedy continued to jump, the duo unaware that they were being watched. Sinister eyes in the shadows began to creep forward through the bushes, the wind was breezy from the ocean and the laughter of friends silenced his footsteps and growling snicker. But there was one person who couldn't be fooled by his surroundings.

"AH!" Triple H roared as he leaped through the large wave of tall grass that grew at the edge of the clearing. The stranger gasped and stood up in a flash, frightened by the larger, and yet younger, teen that flexed before him. "I don't think so punk." He snarled through gritted teeth, snorting, "Not in MY territory." He growled angrily again as the punk ran off. Triple H let out a sigh and returned to a calm demeanor as he gracefully flipped some loose strands of hair over his shoulder.

"Wow, way to take that older teen, H!" Booker jumped off the trampoline, slapping him hard on the back, knocking the wind out of him and frazzling his hair in the process. Triple H turned with an angry, annoyed snarl. "Hey, take it easy."

"Yeah, you're awesome man, we just wanted to thank you." Kennedy got off to come to his friends aid.

"Hah." Triple H scoffed. "I didn't do it for you, I just don't want anyone to muscle in on my territory. I don't play around."

"I'd be nice if you did every once in a while." Kennedy shrugged.

Triple H ignored him, "I have a rep to maintain. This is my domain, I am king here."

"Well, we won't know that until you win the tourney. Heh, if you can beat me." Booker snickered.

"What!" Triple H growled, balling up a fist.

"Whoa oh!" Booker ran and jumped on the trampoline to get a head start run.

"Get back here!" Triple H yelled as he tried to follow his lead, but jumped a little too hard and flew a little too far. "Whoa, whoa, OH!" He cried as he tumbled and rolled and crashed head first right into a large rock.

"AH!" Booker and Kennedy gasped, rushing to his side.

"Hey, yoh. You okay?" Kennedy shook Triple H and he began to stir.

"You had us worried there, how do you feel?" Booker asked quietly, in apology.

"I feel great!" Triple H beamed, jumping up happily. "Wow, what a bounce! Did you see that?" He giggled. "Man, I gotta watch myself. Oh well, live and learn, what doesn't kill you, right?" He laughed. "Anyway, the day is young, I'll catch you later!" He ran off.

Booker and Kennedy stood for a moment in silent shock at what they had just seen, and finally Kennedy broke the mood, "Uh, what that…?"

"It wasn't Triple H if that's who you think it was." Booker replied.

"What happened? That's so not him!"

"I don't know, maybe it was that big bump on his head."

"Well what should we do? The high pitched friendly voice is kinda creeping me out."

"Eh." Booker shrugged and went back onto the trampoline. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If this new Triple H is a nice Triple H, then our lives will be a whole lot easier." He snickered to himself, "And I now have no real competition for becoming the king."

"Well come on, let's go tell the others!" Kennedy started off.

"About Triple H!?"

"No. About the trampoline!" Kennedy grimaced. "Idiot." He ran laughing.

"OH, OH!" Booker shook his head, doing a double take. "You didn't just say that, tell me he didn't just… Hey, come back here and say that to my face!" Booker followed behind.

Meanwhile…

Triple H was walking around outside the camp like normal, but rather than 'prowling his territory' he was just taking a stroll. He smiled to himself and let out a happy sigh, "Oh what beautiful weather we are having today! We sure are lucky!" His eyes were bright and his grin was worn from ear to ear. "This island is such a great little slice of nice, I'd love to spend more than two months here on vacation." He laughed to himself as he trotted back to camp, frolicking after some small birds along the way. "Tag, you're it!"

Back at camp, Booker T and Kennedy had returned to the

cabin…

"Where's Jamie?" Booker was asking.

"I'll give you three guesses." Chris Jericho folded his arms, rolling his eyes with dismay.

"Sometimes I wonder how he grew up so fast." Shane Helms let out a happy sigh.

"Uh, huh… anyway." Kennedy frowned. "We have something to show the rest of you."

"Hm?" The duo perked up.

"Come on!" Booker jumped up, waving an arm for them to follow. "We'll show you." Chris and Shane blinked, what were they up to now?

Once they arrived to the trampoline, Booker pushed everyone up onto the tree branches to jump off. Kennedy had explained how he had found it hidden back in the middle of nowhere and how much fun it was. Shane hugged the tree tightly, his fear of heights fueled by the fact that he didn't have the super power of flight… well, not yet anyway.

Chris looked down at the risky drop, "Yeah well, it's all fun and good, but didn't you guys say you saw one of those Avalon punks around here?' He shrunk back nervously.

"Yeah." Booker brushed the thought off. "But you should've seen Triple H give him the go!"

"Yeah." Kennedy agreed. "Now off you go!" He shoved Chris off the branch.

"AH!" Chris cried as he fell onto the trampoline and bounced into the air.

"Hey now it's our turn, let's go!" Kennedy jumped.

"Come on, Shane!" Booker followed.

"No, no, I'm fine right here, thanks." Shane was hugging onto the tree branch this time.

"Whatever you say!" Booker and Kennedy laughed as they bounced.

"Hey, that looks like fun, let me try!"

"Huh?" Shane frowned. "Who was that, I don't recognize that high pitched, happy voice." He looked up right as somebody flew past him from a higher branch.

"JERONIMO!" Triple H fell down onto the trampoline.

"Was that who… I just think I saw?" Shane felt dizzy.

"Did somebody call me?" Chris asked, taking his hands off of his eyes.

"Hey, Triple H!" Booker and Kennedy beamed. Chris was in shock, Booker and Kennedy hadn't told him and Shane about Triple H's lump on the head so he was baffled.

"Whoa, hang on tight guys!" Triple H grabbed one hand of Booker and Kennedy's and they did a three person flip in the air.

"WAHOO!" They cried happily.

"AH!" Chris gasped as they knocked him off of the trampoline and he fell onto the floor.

"Watch out!" Shane gasped as they jumped up by the branch.

"Join us you wet blanket!" Kennedy laughed as Booker reached out to grab him.

"Oh no, not the cape not the cape!" Shane stammered as they pulled him down by his cape onto the trampoline with them and let go. Shane bounced lightly until he got off.

"Oh, ugh." Chris groaned painfully as he went to stand up. "AH!" Shane jumped and landed right on him. "Ouch…" He coughed in the pile of leaves and grass on the ground.

"What's with Triple H?" Shane was still in shock. "My poor cape. What's going on?"

"I don't know." Chris growled, shaking his head to come back to reality.

"Wow, that was great!" Triple H laughed, catching his breath as he jumped off the trampoline.

"I never realized you could be that fun!" Kennedy got off and gave him a noogie, they laughed and wrestled.

"It's like I have some little kid inside of me that has finally come bursting out with all this energy to play! I don't know what happened or how I feel this way, why I didn't before, but… well, no harm done right?" Triple H playfully punched at Booker.

"I love this new Triple H!" Booker smiled.

"Well I don't." Chris snarled, standing up and going over to inspect him. He looked Triple H over carefully, eyeing him up and down, "I don't like this, something just doesn't seem right."

"Chris, Chris, Chris. What's with all of this hostility?" Triple H put his arm around him, bringing him into a buddy hug. "This is who I am, we should be friends and live in peace, and harmony." He patted him. There was an angry growl. "Please Chris, don't be upset."

"That's not me." Chris frowned, still angry and now feeling very uncomfortable.

"Fine then, maybe it was your stomach!" Triple H laughed. "You bottomless pit!" There was a snarl again, this time it was Chris. "Oh, you're no fun. Come on guys!" Triple H jumped back on the trampoline. "Last one up's a rotten egg!" He laughed. There was a growl again.

"Chris stop it." Shane sighed.

"It's not ME!" Chris barked.

"Hey, I heard it too." Kennedy looked around.

"Yeah, what is that?" Booker paused just as the teen punk from before jumped out of the bushes, angry for revenge.

"AH!" They cried, the four of them huddling together. "Triple H!"

"Huh, what's this?" Triple H stopped, sensing his friends calling out to him. He jumped down next to them, the teen gasping, recognizing him. "Oh, I see what this is." He frowned. "You brought a friend, and didn't tell me!?"

"Huh?" The punk's jaw dropped, he was utterly confused. Wasn't he meaner before?

"Whatever! You can play, come on and join us in on the fun!" He laughed, going back to the trampoline again.

"Oh man, I miss the old Triple H, the one who hated having fun." Shane sobbed.

"Me too!" Booker hugged onto Kennedy. "I want him to come back!"

"We should've hit him on his head when we had the chance." He agreed.

"I told you so." Chris stammered, trying to act like the tough one in the situation, but it wasn't going very well. The bully was closing in on them again and was outmatched.

"WOOHOO!" Triple H went to get speed. "Hey guys watch this one… AH!" He didn't get a chance, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and hit his head on the tree branch, stumbling and lying down on the trampoline. He shook his head. "Ouch, that hurt." He pushed the lump on his head and looked down to see the punk again. "Aha… hmrg." Then he let out a loud roar as he leaped off and stood between the teen and his friends, "I thought I told you to BEAT IT!" He held his head low and menacing, "This is MY territory…" He growled viciously and flexed and the bully took off running once more, and this time he wouldn't come back. "Humph…" He snorted, folding his arms.

"Yay!" The four cheered.

"Triple H is back!" Booker sighed with relief.

"Back? Where did I go?" Triple H paused and looked around. "Second thought, what am I doing HERE?"

"Well, call us crazy, but you were playing with us." Kennedy chuckled.

"Uh, yeah, right, me? Triple H? Hah, I doubt it." Triple H laughed coldly.

"Well, whatever." Shane smiled happily, now that things were back to normal.

"Yeah, whatever is right. Now move it." He shoved Chris down out of the blue into a pile of mulch.

"Hey!"

Triple H took off, "I'm outta here."

"Aw man…" Chris grumbled and got up, dusting himself off. "AH… achoo!"

"Ah, and there's the Triple H we all know and loathe, back again like the way it should be." Shane joked and everyone laughed, happy things had indeed returned to normal again.


	13. The Great Hurricane

**A/N:** _Late yes, new chapter. Sorry… enjoy _

Another beautiful day was about to become crazy with disruption on the island campgrounds, Shane Helms was walking around the wild, his cape kicking up in the breeze as he stood on a rock in a super hero pose. He looked around slyly and jumped down, landing in another super hero pose. He creped through the tall grass and flipped over a log with a move something like a gymnast would do, he landed gracefully… and then…

"AH!" He cried, falling onto his but and holding his leg. "Oh, my knee, I think I pulled something! Whoa…" He sighed sadly. "Man, I'll never get this super hero gig right." He sighed sadly as he got back onto his feet and dusted himself off. "Darn, why can't I find my super powers?" He shuffled off, pulling on his cape. "Damn, I think I ripped it." He started to pull on a loose thread which he tore off after it became a clump on a string. He pushed through the bushes and sat by the water, waving it in front of his face. He gasped, realization written all over his face, "Say, maybe I can hypnotize myself!" He began to wave it back and forward in front of his face. "Hypnotherapy!" He chuckled coyly.

Meanwhile…

"Ugh, man I am so tired it's not even funny." Kane was forcing his feet to move forward as he slumped on.

"Hah ha…" Kurt Angle laughed in sarcastic agreement, neither of them had been sleeping much lately and it was starting to take effect on them both.

Kane stopped, his red eyes going from tired to angry in his sleepless delusion, "I said it's not funny!" He took a swing.

"Ow, hey!" Kurt got hit in the head. "Cut it out!" He swung back.

"Ugh, no you stop!" Kane swung back. They continued to fight and groan until Kane delivered a head but.

"Whoa… uh oh…" Kurt got dizzy and fell back.

"Ouch, bad idea…" Kane staggered back as well.

"OW!" They both went down, Kurt hit his head on a tree and Kane hit his head on a rock. They were out cold. But the silence didn't last as a nearby voice went on…

"You are the greatest wrestler of all time. You have strength and endurance. You are swift and agile. You have a great cunning. Find your super powers." Shane was swinging the string back and forward until finally he crossed his eyes. "OW! Oh man!" He threw it to the ground and stomped off. "I'm hopeless!" After a few moments, Kane and Kurt began to stir.

"You are the greatest wrestler of all time." Kane spoke, his deep voice in monotone. "You have strength and endurance."

"You are swift and agile." Kurt sat up as well, his eyes heavy and his voice a droll. "You have a great cunning."

They turned to each other, "Find your super powers." They stood up and walked off.

Elsewhere…

Triple H was stalking his domain as usual, he was patrolling the area around the campsite and hiking up into the hills, "Nobody would dare challenge me, I am the top player, the best ever, anyone who will play the game, will loose."

"AH!"

"What the!" Triple H cried out in shock, his moment ruined as he stood up and looked around at the cry. Kane and Kurt jumped out from either side. "Whoa!" He looked around but tried to keep his cool. "What the hell do you bullies want?" He scoffed. "Some camp councilors, you look like you haven't slept in a week and you've gotten your asses handed to you."

"I am the greatest wrestler of all time, I have strength and endurance." Kane growled.

"I am swift and agile, I have a great cunning." Kurt growled as they advanced on him.

"We must help him find his super powers. It is the will of our master."

"What?" Triple H blinked confused. "Hey whoa!" He dodged a swing and managed to get away, turning back. "You guys got lucky, a two on one is no fair!" He ran off.

"He got away." Kurt lowered his head.

"Yes, I know." Kane nodded. "But the next one will not be so lucky."

"Yes." Kurt snickered, Kane laughing alongside with him. They stopped. "Another approaches."

"Yes. Let's get ready." Kane walked off to hide, and Kurt did the same.

"Damn, knowing me I'll end up getting lost on my way back to the cabin." Shane was sulking as he made his way back down the hill to the campsite. "Why can't I do anything right?" He growled and yelled out, "Why can't I find my super powers!"

"Find your super powers." The two voices spoke up in a zombie like fashion.

"AH!" Shane cried out in shock as Kurt and Kane appeared and slowly began to advance on them. "Whoa, oh no, camp bullies! Ah!" He cowered. "I'm in no condition to fight with no super powers, please leave me be!"

"Okay." They turned and walked off.

"Huh!?" Shane was dumbfounded as he watched them leave. He jumped up quickly, "No, wait, stop come back here!"

"Alright." They turned and came back, stopping before him.

"What in the heck is going on here, you guys are mean jerks. What's all this about, why are you listening to me?"

"Because you are our master." Kurt spoke up.

"Yes, sir." Kane nodded.

"Wait, what did you say, did you just call me master?"

"Sir." They both nodded.

"What the… but why?" Shane was in shock.

"Because you are." Kane replied.

"You control us with your super power." Kurt went on.

"Wait a second…" Shane began to think. "Did I hypnotize them with my super powers? Maybe that's why I couldn't do it on myself?" He gasped happily. "My super power is to control evil for good! Ha! No wonder it wouldn't work on me!" He chuckled. "Oh joy, what a day." He sat down, tired. "I finally found out what my super power is, I couldn't be happier. However, I do have a problem."

"What is it?" They both asked.

"I am not very big, I am not very old. I don't have the power to fend for myself in a wrestling ring. Most others around here aren't cruiserweights, there's maybe one or two other wrestlers that I could probably beat. I need to find somebody to test my new found strength on."

"Very well." They both nodded like butlers and walked off.

"Hey wait, where are you going?" Shane stood up quickly.

"Don't worry." Kane turned.

"We shall return." Kurt turned as well.

They both spoke, "We will grant your request, sir."

"Oh, okay." Shane blinked, confused. "Wait, before you go… can you call me master just one more time?"

"Yes master." They nodded and turned and walked off once more.

"Ah, I love it." Shane sat down, relaxed. "What a happy day this will be. I can't wait to tell the others."

Later…

"Here you are master." Kane's voice awoke Shane from a happy nap. He dropped a small animal at his feet.

"Huh? What is this?" Shane was shocked. "Did you hurt it?" He checked him, worried.

"We brought you somebody smaller, you could beat him." Kurt replied.

"Ugh, no!" Shane growled. "Not an animal! I meant another wrestler, you fool! A human being like us!"

"Oh, very well." They nodded and walked off again.

"You poor thing, go run back to your home." Shane shooed the little furry creature off. "Too bad I can't control animals, they're probably smarter than these two." It wasn't long before Shane could hear voices coming back. "Wow that was quick, I wonder who they found?"

"Now this had better be good." One of the park rangers appeared pushing through the bushes, being followed by Kurt and Kane.

"Huh?" Shane blinked, confused.

"What's going on?" The man was shocked. "Why did they bring me here?"

Shane growled, slapping his forehead and running his hand down his face, "Because they are idiots." He sighed and stood up. "I'm sorry sir, this was just a misunderstanding."

"That's alright." The man sighed, slightly annoyed and walked off.

Shane frowned as his two goons, "Why did you bring me a grown man?"

"You said you wanted a human being." Kurt replied.

"Yes." Kane nodded. "Just like us."

"NO a child, a kid, like me! Go find children at the camp!" Shane yelled with frustration.

"Sir." They nodded and walked off again.

Shane sighed, sitting down, "Maybe I should rethink this. They can't even follow a simple task that they were the ones to even come up with. Why would I want some kid? All I said was that there wasn't… huh?" Shane paused, his thoughts erupted as the ground began to shake.

"Ah, bullies!" Small voices were screaming as a bunch of campers began to run in Shane's direction. "They've come back to beat us up!"

"Something has gone terribly wrong…" Shane sighed sadly as he braced himself for the stampede of startled children ran through him. "AH!" He cried out and brushed away the dust once they had gone. Kane and Kurt finally appeared. "As I thought, you scared a bunch of campers like you always do. So you know what? I'll give you one last chance and I will make myself perfectly clear." He stood up, frowning with frustration, "Bring me one kid, ONE, not some big adult, not a hoard of children, not somebody small like a helpless animal, just one damn camper! Got it!?"

"Yes sir." They nodded and walked off.

Shane scoffed angrily as he sat back down, "Yeah, somehow I doubt that…"

Up in the hills, Chris Jericho was walking around, taking a break from the campsite while the others in the cabin had gone to the beach. He finally reached the river and looked down happily at his reflection, he had gone high up to where the water was actually a running river that ran deep and wide with rushing waters. He hadn't ever come up this high before, it was a divide in the river where one end flowed down to the ocean and the other flowed up to go down on the other side of the island. He frowned as he fixed his hair, striating the loose strands.

"There, perfect." He smiled again.

"AH, camper!"

"What the?" He whirled around and gasped. "Bullies!"

Kurt appeared first appeared, "I am the greatest wrestler ever, I am strong with endurance, I am fast and agile, I am cunning."

"And I am…" Kane paused and stopped. "Hey wait, I go first. I am the greatest wrestler ever. I'm the strong one with endurance. You're just cunning."

"No, I'm fast and agile, get it right!" Kurt growled back and they began to fight with each other, grappling and struggling.

"Huh, what the?" Chris blinked, confused and a little shocked. They began to back near to him. "Hey wait, watch where you're…"

"Wait your turn!" Kurt barked and Kane punched him in the face, then grabbed his arm and threw him into the river.

"AH!" Chris fell and tried to swim against the current. "Hey!" He screamed but the two were too busy fighting over each other. He surfaced in the current, "Those two have gone berserk, what is going on here?" He sputtered water as it flew into his face. "Ah, well it's just water, it'll take me back to the ocean at least." He sighed and he heard a roar. "Huh, what the?" He turned around to face the stream of the current as it grew louder, he realized there was a small fall at the other end. "Oh, me and my big mouth…" He gulped and tried to swim against the current to get to the shore. There was a rock poking out of the water and he reached for it, digging his nails into it but the water was still too strong, and Kane had hurt his left arm when he threw him into the water. "AH!" Helpless, he was swept over the small waterfall.

"Man, those guys sure have been gone long." Shane was sighing to himself. "I hope nothing went wrong this time. Hopefully nobody is hurt…"

Triple H had run back into the cabin, stumbling through the door, "Whoa, slow it down." Ken Kennedy laughed, laying on the bed.

"You look like you saw a monster." Booker T smirked.

"It's those damn councilors, they're acting weirder than normal." Triple H panted angrily. "They handicapped me from out of nowhere."

"Did you defeat them?" Jamie Noble asked as he sat by the window.

"I didn't get a chance." Triple H looked away, avoiding the question, trying to keep his voice at a normal unshaken tone. "They just didn't seem like themselves, I don't know what's going on, but it threw me off balance."

Kennedy looked at Booker and they both shrugged, Jamie sighed, "Well, maybe we should all just stay here. It'd be for the best if we're away from them."

"Nothing normal, same old deal." Kennedy shrugged. "Damn bully punks…"

"I just hope Shane and Chris are alright." Booker looked out the door. "They're still out there somewhere…"

At the bottom of the fall, the water gently pushed Chris's limp body onto the shore where after a while his eyes started to flutter open and he started coughing up water, "Oh man." He looked up at the water, it didn't seem that large, but it was large to Chris while in the river, "Thank goodness I'm alive and in one peace." He stood up on shaky sore legs, his whole body hurting. He went to lean on a tree and get his balance back, he stretched out his left arm but pain shot right through it, "OW!" He screamed loudly and shivered as he held his arm close to his body, the pain stinging him. "Oh man." He moved it. "I don't think it's broken, ouch, but man it hurts." He sighed and slid down the tree, closing his eyes. "My whole body hurts, I'm lucky to just be alive I guess." He decided to rest and catch his breath. "I'll have to save my strength up to get back to camp." He opened his eyes sadly, "If I can find my way back that is…" Chris had never gone this far and he was too soon to realize that he had gotten lost. He continued to sit and rest and cough up water, hoping somebody would find him, and luckily for him somebody did, or rather, unluckily for him, two people did. He gasped as the shadow appeared over him.

"We're the greatest wrestlers ever, strong with our endurance, swift and agile, we are cunning." Kane and Kurt loomed over him, they had obviously made up in their fight, realized their mission for their master, and found Chris.

"AH!" Chris screamed as they grabbed him. He was too weak to fight back, try as he might to flail out of their grasp, they were dragging him off to certain doom. They chuckled cruelly and Chris's eyes went wide, what had he gotten himself into this time?

"I wonder who they'll bring to me…" Shane was pondering quietly, he was relaxing next to the water under a shady tree, leaning against the trunk as the leaves fanned him in the breeze. "Feh, if they even get it right this time." He froze. "Oh no, I didn't tell them to get a male, what if they bring me some little girl! AH oh woe is me, accursed fools!" He cut himself off as he could hear the protesting of a young child getting near. "Ah, it sounds like a little boy, thank goodness. Oh, I'd better get ready!" He jumped like a boxer, hopping around back and forward as he punched the air and flexed and stretched. "Yeah, now I'll show… uh, whoever it is they bring."

"AH!" Chris came flying being flung off of a large rock where Kane and Kurt had thrown him off of. "Oof, ow!" He landed hard on his injured arm and groaned, struggling to get up. "Ugh…" His hair was matted and messy with leaves, his clothes covered in dirt.

"Here we go." Shane snickered as he jumped out of hiding in the bushes and pounced. "Surprise!"

"Eh?" Chris didn't have a chance to turn in time, he was ambushed. "AH!" He tussled and tried to fight back, grabbing the short dark hair of his attacker while kicking and rolling. "Get off me!" He sputtered in the dust they kicked up.

"Oh no you don't!" Shane began to claw at his face, pulling at his mouth.

"Eh? Ahen?" Chris froze, recognizing the voice.

Shane opened his eyes and looked down at his victim, "Chris?" He jumped up.

Chris wiped at his face and slowly got to his feet, "What do you think you're doing Shane!?" He began to dust himself off and fix his hair, moving his sore jaw.

"Uh, uh." Shane stammered, shocked that the idiots brought him one of his own friends and he was so blind for power that he attacked without even a second thought. "See, well, um…" He blinked quickly, watching Chris and finally gasped, realizing Chris was hurt, favoring his left arm as he straightened himself up. "Oh Chris." Chris limped on sore legs. "You're hurt."

He frowned, lowering his brow angrily, "It's those damn bullies fault, counselors Kane and Kurt attacked me, they ambushed me and threw me into the river, I was swept over the falls, nearly drowned, they hurt my arm, and my…" He paused, hearing them snicker as they neared. "Oh no, look out here they come!" He ran off, hiding as Kane and Kurt entered the clearing.

"So, did we get it right this time?" Kurt stood at attention.

"Yes master, are you pleased?" Kane bowed his head slightly.

"Uh…" Shane twirled his fingers nervously.

Chris had heard everything, "Master…?" He came out of hiding to face Shane eye to eye. "What does that mean, what's going on?" He leered angrily at him.

"Uh, well you see, you're not going to believe this." He laughed nervously.

"Really." Chris folded his arms.

"See, it's very interesting, it's complicated…"

"Try me."

"Oh." Shane sighed. Chris took him, and his two slaves, back to the cabin where the whole gang of campers could judge him. "You see…." Shane was explaining as they all cornered him against the back wall. "I used my super powers to control them, and I guess I just got so paranoid with power that I got a swelled head and lost sight of who I really was and what my goal really was, to help people, not lord over others. I'm a super hero, not a super villain. But, I learned my lesson, so can you all forgive me?" He put his hands together meekly. "Please?" They all just glared back at him, tapping their feet, arms folded, Chris sitting on the chair, his body bandaged, his head wrapped and his arm in a sling. "I'm sorry Chris, and all of you. So, uh, okay…?" He gulped.

"Oh, I think it's not okay." Triple H stood behind Chris.

Chris frowned, his face flush under the band aids on his cheek and wrap on his forehead, "Triple H is right, you really screwed up big time on this one."

"Yeah, Chris was nearly killed." Jamie protested.

"Not to mention they created a huge scene on the island earlier today." Booker added.

Kennedy nodded in agreement, "You need to fix this."

"Fine then." Shane sighed. He went over to Kane and Kurt who had been standing there blankly the whole time. "Okay. So when I count to three and snap my fingers, you will be back to normal, not remembering anything of this, alright? Now close your eyes." He frowned and snapped, "Three." At the same time, Kennedy and Booker splashed them with a bucket of water.

"Ah!" Kane shook, opening his eyes.

"What the!" Kurt jumped in shock, they had finally awaken. Being in such a constant daze all day of semi conscious had recharged them and the splash had literally reawaken them back to normal. "What's going on here, where are we?"

"Ugh, it's those twerpy brats." Kane growled.

"Let's get out of here." Kurt waved his arms at them with frustration and they stomped off out of the cabin.

"Huh, go figure. It wasn't super powers after all, all along they were just brain dead." Jamie deduced with a shrug.

"Yeah, uh I think we all figured that out already." Triple H scoffed. "I heard them say something about super powers, I knew you were behind this all along…"

"Oh. Uh, sooo now, back to normal again… yes?" Shane shrugged with a meek shrug.

"Well, clean up this mess, then we'll talk." Triple H walked off, leading the other three outside to go get something to eat in the mess hall.

"Okay." Shane sighed and started to clean up. Chris was sitting resting from his injuries on the chair while he watched him work. "You know that my intentions were good, I just lost sight." He spoke to Chris while working. "I didn't have power to control others after all, I was blinded by ignorance and arrogance, I didn't mean to hurt you. You're my friend, and a good fright. I hope you of all people can forgive me." He paused by got no response. He glanced over at Chris to see that he had fallen asleep. He sighed and smiled, "Aw." He got up and walked over to him. He looked around to make sure they were alone and then smirked. "Maybe my super power is to heal." He paused. "Wait this seems familiar, did I try this before?" He thought for a moment, shrugged and proceeded. "Oh well, back to square one then. Maybe I can get rid of that fever." He put his hand on Chris's forehead. "Heal, heal, heal! May your wounds be healed! May your blindness be cured! Oh! See the light!" He hit him hard square in the middle of the chest.

"AH!" Chris cried out and began to cough and choke to catch his breath.

"Oops, sorry!" Shane jumped back and ran back to cleaning. "Guess I don't have divine powers either... heh..." Chris just groaned and let his weary head fall back with frustration


	14. Treasure In The High Hills

Tonight would be a fun night under the stars, Farooq had organized a camp bonfire on the beach. The sky was clear of clouds, and a very low breeze blew off the ocean as everyone sat around on the rocks and logs to share adventures and mingle outside of the cabin. Jamie Noble was hoping to get in good with Torrie Wilson but unfortunately the girl cabin had kept to themselves, like usual. There were only a few girls among a hoard of boys, so it was understandably natural that the girls would stick together. So Jamie joined the others, Chris Jericho was standing close to the fire as he spoke to the others of the cabin, even a few nearby campers from around the beach came to listen in. Chris was telling a story, and he was always a great storyteller.

"The group of kids was never seen again. They knew all hope was lost from the masked murderer that had stalked them through the forest. This was before campsites were established and there was nobody outside the town of Avalon to help them. Nobody knew they were there, none of the kids knew where they were. All they did know, is that they were in trouble. Blind in the dark, tripping over rocks, walking into trees, the eldest still held the box where everyone put their treasure inside. They finally stopped in a clearing where the pale full moon shone down, they could see no grass around them, only dirt. They began to dig, it was a good a spot as any at the top of the highest hill. They would bury it in hopes that somebody would find it one day, and be able to enjoy what they had fought so hard to protect from burglary. Nobody to this day has found it, or is sure what was inside. People have searched but will not know. Those kids were all killed that night, their bodies thrown into the ocean and never found again. Their friends and families could never find the attacker who had been pillaging their town for days and weeks on end. They were martyrs that died, and so the story is told so their spirits may never be forgotten."

"And do you know that not only has the treasure never been found to this day, but also the identity of the killer was never revealed." Farooq came up as he heard Chris speak, most of the campers having come in to listen in. "And do you know how I know this?" Chris shook his head. "Because… I… was that killer…." He laughed evilly, the kids squealed and took off running back to the cabins and the safety of their beds. Farooq stopped laughing and looked around, "DAMN, I did it again…" He smirked sadly to himself. "They're just dumb kids, maybe I took it too far…" He sighed and walked back to the counselor hut. "I need a beer, and a smoke…"

"Oh man, is it true!? Is our counselor a killer!?" Shane Helms was whimpering, his usual super hero demeanor shattered by blind fear.

"No, you idiot. It's just a story." Triple H rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, come on. Do you really believe anything Chris says?" Ken Kennedy shrugged.

"Hey…" Chris frowned.

"True, you got a point there." Booker T copied Kennedy in a sly shrug.

"Stop, cut it out." Chris balled up a fist at them.

"Just forget it Shane." Jamie sighed. "Things will be better in the morning once you rest."

"Yeah, let's just go to sleep." Chris got into bed.

"And please no nightmares…?" Triple H grumbled, still smug with arrogance.

"Sure." Shane nodded with a gulp. Night…" He pulled up the covers, still not convinced. He closed his eyes as he thought to himself, 'Tomorrow I'll go and talk to Farooq in the morning, that way he can't do anything to me in the daylight if he really in fact IS a bad guy…'

The next day…

"I wonder if there really is lost treasure up there somewhere." Booker T was saying after breakfast.

"I doubt it, the story is vague. If there really was, somebody would've found it long ago." Kennedy replied.

"Nuh uh!" Chris growled back. "I didn't get to finish! What I didn't say that was it was being protected and that anyone who ever got near it was attacked and never wanted to go back."

"Well if that was ALSO true, people would learn and go back in groups and during daylight. Idiot." Triple H snickered.

"You're the idiot!" Chris barked back in reply.

"Then go look for yourself."

"Why don't you go Triple H? It's your idea."

"You're scared. You know you're weak and will be destroyed."

"No, my grandpa told me this story, why would he lie to me? He wanted to protect me, he knew that I would be coming here and it was a warning."

Triple H rolled his eyes as he mimicked Chris, "Oh well my grandpa said… ah give it a rest!"

"Cut it out…" Chris took a step back.

"Be easy on him, it was just a story." Jamie sighed, the argument was starting to get too far and he didn't want to escalate into something physical.

"Yeah, he's a little kid, you forget he's younger than us and not as bright." Shane lowered his hand to make fun of Chris's height.

"Shut up!" Chris jumped wildly.

"You don't know what you're talking about, you're full of hot air you big windbag." Triple H pulled him back by the collar, putting a pained expression on his face.

"Yes I do!" Chris protested stiffly as he fixed his collar so he could breathe again.

"Just more of Chris's chatterbox scatterbrained stories." Triple H laughed to himself.

"Well we all know somebody who we can ask, somebody who knows the truth." Shane remembered his thought from last night.

"Hmm…." Everyone began to think. Now they had to find Farooq.

Farooq was exercising, he was jogging on the beach kicking up sand when from out behind a large rock Chris jumped out to try and grab him, but he fell and landed face first into the sand, "Whoa, nice try there Canada." He laughed over his shoulder and bumped into Triple H who was leaning casually against a tree. "Uh…" Farooq stopped and took a step back to turn. "You know what the problem with this part of the beach is…?"

Triple H smirked as he flexed an arm, "Too many blondes?"

"Read my mind, mop top." Farooq took off in the other direction, leaving Triple H behind in shock.

"Now!" Jamie called out.

"Huh?" Farooq heard the voice but kept on jogging. Shane shoved out a log out in his path and it caused him to trip. "Whoa..!"

"Got him!" Kennedy and Booker jumped out from the bushes and tied up his arms behind his back with a vine.

Farooq struggled in his confusion, "What is this, what's going on here!?"

"Want answers." Shane stood before the others, Chris having come to join them, shaking the sand from his long blonde hair. "Tell us about the lost treasure in the hills."

"Oh, that." Farooq chuckled to himself, but he glanced back at the kids and realized that they were serious. He sighed and straitened himself up, "Look, it's just a story. I'm not the real killer, it was just a campfire joke."

"We know that." Jamie laughed sarcastically. "But you know about it, we know that much."

"Yeah, you know more about this island than us." Shane agreed.

"So tell us where it is, where do we find it." Chris spoke up.

Farooq rolled his eyes and decided to just lead them off on some blind random adventure within the vicinity, "Go up to the tallest hill. There you will find a clearing in the trees. There's a large rock and a thick fallen log, roll them off the ground and start digging."

"What? It can't be that simple." Booker blinked, confused.

"Yeah, so why don't you dig it up then or tell somebody else?" Kennedy asked in agreement.

"Please!" Farooq stood up, snapping the vine and freeing his arms. "You think somebody like me has time? I have no desire for some random teenage 'treasure'. Well I guess I'd better tag along and make sure everyone is alright" He sighed. "DAMN!" He walked off.

"Well, you got your answer." Jamie turned to Shane. "So you still want to go?"

"I don't see the harm in just checking it out." Shane shrugged and led everyone up into the forest.

"I'd better go too, if it is real, that treasure is mine." Triple H muttered quietly as he followed in the rear with Chris.

"What about the story?" Chris mumbled to himself, was there someone or something protecting it, would they get hurt? What if it WAS Farooq and he was leading them into a trap…!

Later…

"Alright so here we are, top of the highest hill, the clearing, and that big rock and log." Shane looked around. "Perhaps I can use my super powers to move them."

"Oh great, here we go again." Triple H rolled his eyes, thinking this was a stupid idea now.

"Jamie, you pull the log and I'll shove the rock at the same time." Shane instructed and they went to work. After a moment of struggling, finally the log pulled free and the rock turned off the land and started to slip in the loose soil around it.

"Whoa!" Jamie lost his footing and stumbled back, the log rolling on him and he rolled down the hill. "Ah, help!"

"Oh no!" Chris gasped, whirling around.

"Chris, watch it!" Shane cried.

"Huh?" Chris turned just in time to gasp and see the rock tumbling towards him. "AH!" It crashed into him before he could even think to react and he fell down the hill too.

"Oh no!" Shane gasped in horror. "Oh what have I done!?"

"Forget them, they'll be fine." Booker T sighed, coming over to the digging spot.

"Yeah, let's start digging." Kennedy kicked at the dirt.

"But the story… people getting hurt, one by one maybe we will fall?" Shane was starting to get worried again.

"You worry too much." Triple H went over with a shovel, the only person who thought to bring one. "Now start digging." He shoved it at him.

"Well, alright…" He stammered and began to dig. He took a step in as the hole began to grow, the soil was damp and started to get muddy. "Whoa!" He slipped and slid down the slope slightly on the wet grass. "OW!" He cried as he hit a tree.

"Hey, you alright?" Booker rushed over. "Hello?" He shook him.

Kennedy followed and waved a hand in front of his face, "He's out."

"Well let him sleep then, more treasure for me." Triple H took the shovel and the duo glared at him. He smirked humbly, "Oh, I mean us. The three of us." He faked a smile.

"Yeah right." Booker snorted.

"Sounds more like it." Kennedy agreed and the digging resumed.

As the sun rose higher into the sky and passed the lunch hour of noon, Shane finally woke back up, "Oh my head… ouch." He shook himself awake and looked around, still a bit groggy. "What's going on?"

Kennedy turned, "We're still digging…"

"Yeah, this is turning more and more into some ruse." Booker grumbled.

"Some treasure." Triple H panted, he was sweating as he dug, taking off his shirt in the workout.

"What, nothing?" Shane got up and looked around, the hole was large and getting pretty deep. "I don't get it… was something wrong?"

"Yeah, the whole thing!" Triple H roared, throwing down the shovel and wiping his brow. "This is all your fault you know!"

"Me…!?" Shane was a gasp. "Nobody asked you to come!"

"I'm the only one digging here!"

"Chris was the one who told the story!"

"Yeah, but you were the only one dumb enough to believe it!"

"You did too!"

"No I didn't!"

"Well that's why you're here right?"

"No it isn't!"

"Uh, guys…" Booker kicked the ground.

"I still don't see how this is MY fault Trips!"

"Hey, shut up for a sec!" Kennedy yelled loudly, they paused and turned to him. "And look…"

"Huh?" They came and looked down the hole where Booker was revealing the wooden top to a box. They all gasped in shock, their eyes wide with hope, "Treasure!"

"Yes, I did it!" Triple H cheered, the trio leered at him. "Oh, I mean we… we did it."

"Yeah, we all did." Shane smiled. They brushed off the dirt to reveal the entire top and then they all pulled it out, setting it down as they circled around it.

"Well, open it." Booker couldn't take the suspense anymore.

Triple H went to break the old lock but Kennedy held him back, "No." He turned to Shane. "You do it, this was all because of you believing in the story."

"Ah, thanks." Shane nodded, beaming happily. Triple H just grumbled sourly and pouted, but he watched casually as Shane broke off the rusty lock and it crumbled onto the ground. "Here we go." He took a deep breath and opened the lid. Everyone gasped as they relished the thought of what they might find inside.

But rather than oohh, they furrowed with confusion, "Huh…?"

"What in the…" Shane blinked as he brushed the settling dust away and pulled out one of the items. "What is this?" It looked like some cheap bead necklace.

"I don't understand, was treasure different in the past?" Booker reached in and pulled out some papers, flipping randomly through them and turning them sideways to look at.

"I don't think this is treasure." Kennedy picked up some small trinkets that looked almost like old dinky toys.

"Ah, what a rue! This is junk, not jewels!" Triple H roared loudly.

"DAMN, you fools!"

"Eh?" Everyone turned to look up at the loud familiar voice as Farooq appeared.

"Haven't you realized that one man's trash is another's treasure? Gold could be completely worthless while another personal item could be of no value to another, but be priceless to the owner who possesses it."

"Huh?" They were all confused. They thought a treasure wasn't everything and anything you could ever want, and more.

"Damn, fools, that's no treasure chest! Haven't you ever heard of a time capsule?"

"So, this is from the future…?" Shane blinked.

"No! The past!" Farooq shook his head and walked off. "DAMN!" They continued to stare and finally looked down at the box and its contents in a new way.

"You know, some of this stuff is actually kinda cool." Shane smiled, taking another glance at their findings.

"Well you can keep it, I'm not interested. It has no value." Triple H turned his back, folding his arms with dismay.

"No, you're wrong." Kennedy replied. "They have a priceless value one should treasure."

"Yeah." Booker agreed. "Come on, let's take this back with us."

"No, I have a better idea." Shane smiled. They went back to the cabin, putting the treasure on the top of the dresser drawer. "I'll put in my green mask."

"This is my favorite old hair comb." Booker pulled it out of his backpack.

"This keychain looks like a microphone, it was a gift from somebody special." Kennedy dug into his pocket.

Shane turned to Triple H, "Come on, it's fun, join in."

Triple H sighed, "Oh alright." He shuffled over. "Here…" He put in a picture of himself. "That way in the future, people will look back and know how great I was." Booker and Kennedy couldn't help but laugh. "Hey…! I am, so shut up!"

"Hey, we should find Chris and Jamie and see if they want to put in something." Shane spoke up.

"OH! And make sure they're alright too!" Booker slapped his forehead.

"Ah man, I completely forgot!" Kennedy jumped up. "Come on, let's go get them!"

Meanwhile…

"Come on, it's almost off!" Jamie was pulling off the rock, it had pinned Chris against a tree. Jamie had gotten banged up from the log but Chris was trapped and hurting.

"Hurry, pull!" Chris struggled to talk as he pushed. "My ribs are breaking!"

Jamie gave one last mighty yank, "Ah! Finally!" He was able to roll it off, Chris gasped for air, his body in pain from the confinement. "Are you alright?"

"I guess so…" He wheezed, catching his breath.

"Guys!" Shane burst through the bushes. "There you are, are you alright?"

"Yeah, more or less." Jamie helped Chris stand up. "So what's up?"

"Did you find the treasure? Was somebody protecting it?" Chris asked, his voice quiet and tired.

"In a way…" Triple H's thoughts trailed off, he didn't want to give Chris too much credit or admit that he was right in any way, shape of form.

"Did we, come on you have to come back and see!" Booker ran back to the cabin.

"Let's go, hurry up before the sun goes down!" Kennedy prompted them as he waved his arm.

"Huh?" Chris and Jamie looked at each other confused.

Back at the cabin…

"I got this valentine from Torrie at school, it means a lot to me." Jamie put it in the box.

"And this hockey puck my dad used, it's one of my treasures I can pass on just as the people of the past did for us." Chris closed the box. "There."

"Now what?" Jamie asked.

"Now we put it back for the next group to find." Shane winked. They went back and buried the box in the hole. Booker and Kennedy found another nearby log and rock to cover it. "There." Shane panted, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"Maybe in many, many years, some other camper kids will dig this up and see what our life was like." Booker smiled.

"I wonder how the future will be?" Kennedy wondered.

"Well, either way, it will lay here for the next group of kids to find." Jamie replied.

"The legend goes on…" Shane looked up proudly.

"Until the next generation hears the story, maybe one day I'll tell it to my own grandson." Chris smiled.

"Yeah, like some diva would want to marry and have kids with you." Triple H snickered.

"Hey." Chris grumbled as they all headed back down the hill to camp for dinner. A lesson learned, a value gained, and a new respect as things resumed as normal.

Or so the story goes…


	15. Grazing In The Grass

**A/N**: _I'm hoping to have two more chapters up by the weekend, Memorial day is my first day off all year AH lol so maybe I'll make them a little shorter so I can have time to finish two and update the story with both of them. Thanks again for the reviews yay_

It was early in the morning, most everyone had gone back into the cabins after breakfast before the first activity of the day had started. But the beach was busy with hustle as the female counselor was leading the girl's cabin on their daily morning march. Every day after lunch they did a power walk up and down the beach which gauged about a mile and half. The girls would all talk and giggle with gossip as they walked briskly on the sand and ran ahead as the waves splashed closer in the rising morning tide. There weren't very many girls, there was Terri, a girl with long black hair, a red head, another girl with strawberry blonde hair, and a brunette with sandy gold streaks. There was five which was the basic limit, the sixth bunk belonging to the counselor, who didn't stay with the other camp counselors seeing as they were all male. It was a very low turnout for the girls that year, and it proved to be a growing problem, one that would escalate into something severe, and the female counselor wanted to prevent that from happening, but as tough and athletic as she was, maybe even she wasn't strong enough to stop it.

"Alright girls, great workout." She smiled down at them, she couldn't be prouder of the way they had behaved every single day at camp. "Go ahead and rest before the activities start, you're all doing a wonderful job. You divas aren't like other girls, you are not to be taken lightly by the boys, you can hold your own. You are just as strong and fast, you have the agility of a gymnast and the endurance of a sprinter. Don't ever let anyone treat you any less than what you are." She turned and gave a wave as she went off to the counselor cabin. "Keep up the good work."

"Thanks." They all grinned and stood around the porch, brushing their hair and talking.

Jamie Noble sighed happily as he watched them, just as he did every day, but this day would be different as a loud cry broke him out of his thoughts, "BUSTED!"

"Ah!" He scrambled around, nearly falling.

"Caught you watching Terri and the girls." Shane Helms snickered.

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about…" Jamie couldn't look them in the eye.

"Please, it's obvious you like her." Chris Jericho snickered.

"Frankly I find it humiliating that you find us so stupid, well, me anyway." Triple H scoffed arrogantly, brushing a strand of loose hair over his shoulder.

"No, it's not like that." Jamie sighed.

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" Ken Kennedy asked.

"Yeah." Booker T agreed. "We'll all even go with you, you know for support."

"Um, well alright, I guess I don't see the harm in doing that." Jamie gulped and led them off, but he paused and turned. "Not that I'm scared to do it alone or anything…"

"Don't worry." Shane assured with a slight wave of his hand. "We'll stay back and we won't interfere."

"Yeah, we're great actors." Chris winked. "And if you get tongue tied, just improvise."

"A…alright." Jamie stammered, suddenly this seeming to be a very bad idea. They reached the diva cabin right after the counselor returned from her meeting with the others.

Terri whispered to the others and then approached Jamie, "Hey there, how are you today?"

"Oh, uh fine, thanks…" He looked back at his friends but they pretended they weren't paying attention to their conversation. "How, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing alright." She smiled friendly. "What are you planning, anything fun or adventurous?"

"Well, we cross those bridges when they come up. I don't have anything planned, do you?"

"No, not really I guess… I mean so if you want to…"

"Terri."

"EEP!" She froze at the counselors voice as she approached them.

She looked at Jamie and back at Terri, "What are you doing with the boys here, don't you remember you have activities planned for today?"

"OH, well I, um…" She stammered, looking away.

"You've been doing so well, you're the top of the bunch if I have to say so myself. I don't want you to lose sight and get off track of your progress."

"No, it's nothing like that, I promise you." Terri protested.

The guys had been doing such a great job of acting like they weren't paying attention, they had forgotten all about paying attention and were goofing off again. Booker T was making fart and burp noises loudly while Shane laughed like an idiot.

"Alright, I trust you, just make wise decisions and don't forget your goals." She turned from Terri to Jamie. "And you, make sure you choose the company you keep well, you have a bright future young man and I would hate to think the wrong people could hold you back."

"Huh?" Jamie turned when she motioned towards his friends, he saw Chris shaking Kennedy's hand proudly over doing that magic thumb trick. "I don't know what you're talking about, I have great friends."

"Well, just make sure you're sure about that." She sighed and walked off with Terri back to the cabin. Both she and Jamie whispered a 'good bye' to each other before she went in.

Jamie frowned and turned to his friends, "Alright guys, let's go…"

"Hey, why so glum?" Shane asked as he walked past him sadly.

"Did we miss something?" Booker looked around.

"Maybe they got in a fight or something." Chris shrugged. "We forgot to listen."

"We'd better make it right and apologize for him." Kennedy ran towards the cabin just as the counselor was coming back out. "WHOA!" He was going too fast to stop in time.

"AH!" She didn't have time to react he was too close.

"Watch out!" The guys called, but the collision was imminent. She fell off the porch and landed in the sand.

"Ouch." She groaned, twisting her leg badly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that, are you alright?" Jamie had rushed over to help her up.

"My bad…" Kennedy shook his head as he stood up.

"Here, let me help you." Jamie said politely as he stood her gingerly back on her feet.

"Ugh, thanks." She grunted. "You see what I mean?"

"Huh?" Jamie blinked.

She eyed the boys as they ran over to Kennedy, "Make sure you made the right choice on your friends, I'd hate to see your future ruined by the company you keep young one."

"Oh…" Jamie glanced over at them, Kennedy and Booker throwing sand at each other and Triple H pushing Chris's head in the ground like an ostrich. Jamie hissed sadly between his teeth as he realized that the counselor may be right, was he doing the right thing choosing this group to be his friends?

Jamie followed the group back to the cabin, he staid in the back with his head down and shoulders slumped. The rest of the gang continued to chatter and laugh and joke around until they got inside and sat down, finally taking notice to their sullen friend lagging behind.

"Aw, come on, cheer up." Kennedy grinned.

"Yeah, accidents happen. I'm sure Terri won't hate you for something like that." Booker nodded in agreement.

"No, it's not that, it's just… well…" Jamie hesitated, glancing up at them.

They all blinked back and Triple H spoke up as he folded his arms, "Well…?"

Jamie bit his lip, he didn't want to tell them what the counselor though of his friends, "It's just, that…"

"I get it!" Chris put his fist into his palm in realization.

"Huh?" Jamie froze.

"You're afraid she doesn't like you back and now the counselor is mad and will only push her further away!"

"Ugh…" Jamie groaned, putting his hands over his face.

"I think you're getting worked up over nothing." Shane shrugged.

"Uh, but…!" Jamie stammered.

"Jamie!"

"Huh?" He whirled around. "Terri…!?"

"Terri!?" Everyone turned to see her appear in the doorway.

"Terri, what's going on? Why are you here!" Jamie rushed over to her, the others watching their every move, but they were too into each other to realize it.

"I have to tell you something."

"Are you upset, did you get mad at me? I'm sorry!"

"No, no it's nothing like that, I assure you!"

"So you still like me?" Jamie sighed breathlessly, but caught himself. "I mean as a friend of course!"

"Uh…" Terri blinked, confused as Jamie rattled off.

"Whoa, calm down there guys, chill out." Booker broke between the two. "I think I know what you two are going through."

"You do…?" Terri frowned.

"It's obvious." Kennedy grabbed one hand of Terri's and Jamie's. "It's a summer camp crush!"

"Say it isn't so…?" Booker cooed happily as Kennedy put their hands together.

"It isn't so!" Jamie and Terri yelled at the same time, tearing their hands apart with embarrassment.

"Oh, is it now?" Terri growled at Jamie. "Well fine then, if that's how you really feel, good bye!" She stormed off.

"What, wait what just happened here, did I… oh damn!" Jamie chased her. "Terri wait!" Everyone blinked back confused at what had just happened, and they couldn't help but frown and feel bad realizing that it may have been their fault. They had to go find them and make it right.

"Jamie…" Terri was muttering his name to herself. "I had to warn you about something important, but you don't even care. Why do I even bother worrying myself over you?"

"Because, you're in love."

"Who said that!" Terri froze, looking around to realize she had wandered off up into the forest, she began to back away and screamed as she bumped into something, or rather someone. She leaped forward to run but turned around and growled, "What do you want, what are you doing here anyway, following me?"

"No, no, no." Booker shook his head. "We feel bad about what happened, we didn't mean for it to end up like that. It's our fault."

"I don't care, I'm glad to see how Jamie really feels about me." Terri folded her arms, turning her back on him.

"Great, so I take it you're single then…" Triple H's cruel voice snapped her out of her serious moment. "Looks like I'm just in time."

"Triple H." She gasped, taking a step back. "You wouldn't dare come near me!"

"Please." Triple H scoffed, rolling his eyes. Terri frowned, thrown off her resolve by his joking remark.

"Calm down." Kennedy put a hand on her shoulder. "We just wanted to come and find you to apologize, it's not Jamie's fault."

"Yeah, he really does like you." Shane nodded.

"A lot." Chris added with a smile.

"Really…?" Terri's eyes went wide.

"Yeah, it's true."

"Ah!" Terri turned around happily at Jamie's voice to see him coming through the bushes. "Jamie."

"I was afraid you didn't like me!" Jamie held her hand tightly with his hands.

"Why would you ever think that, I thought you knew me better."

"Well, still, I'm sorry."

"I accept." She hugged him. "Though you have nothing really to apologize for."

"Aw." Everyone cooed and laughed when Jamie blushed.

"And I didn't need help from you guys." Jamie rubbed the back of his head.

Terri's smiled faded as she gasped, "Oh now I remember why I came to find you in the first place! Jamie, they're planning on closing the girls camp forever!"

"What! Why?"

"There was barely enough attending this year to make the minimum, they're cutting us due to expenses and stuff. The counselor is trying to toughen us up to prove to Earl and Jim that it would be a bad idea to scrap the diva cabin, but I don't think it will work! There aren't enough girls that are interested in this anymore, and it's ruining it for the rest of us, few though there may be."

"But that's terrible, why should the majority ruin it for the rest of you!?"

"Some of us do like coming here, but I'm the only one with a real desire to come here. I come here for you Jamie, without this camp I may never see you again!" She hugged him tightly.

"T…Terri…" He closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, we have a chance to save it. I'll work hard, I'll work hard for the camp, and all the girls in the cabin. But most of all, I'll work my hardest for you." Her teary eyes met his.

"And I'll always be here if you need my help."

"Thank you Jamie." Terri sniffed and wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself back down. "Well then, I'd better get back. I have a lot of work to do, this is a big job I'm undertaking." She waved as she hopped over the rocks and out of sight behind the trees.

"Oh wow, what a woman…" Jamie swooned.

"Mmmmmhmmmmm." Everyone nodded.

Jamie gasped, taking off guard and whirled around to face them, his face bright red, "Uh, um, err… eh, heh." He shuffled his feet and twiddled his thumbs.

"Just the kind of grammar you'd expect from such a love struck fool." Chris giggled.

"Can you did it, baby!" Booker chuckled happily.

Everyone laughed, even Jamie started to laugh, the blushing fading with happy relief. His friends had accepted the fact of their feelings towards each other, glad that they wouldn't hold it against him, leave him or treat him any differently. He was finally able to tell her he loved her, and she did back, and his friends supported and believed in him. The only thing that stood in their way now was saving the girls cabin, and of all the people in the world, Jamie knew if anyone could do it, it would be Terri.


	16. Booger T

**A/N:** _Yes it is Terri. I'm hoping to have another update Monday or so, Tuesday at the latest... I'm doing a few short chapters right now but I have two very long ones coming up ahead afterwards so stay tuned and enjoy the lil updates_

The silence of another beautiful island day was about to be shattered…

"Oh my gosh… I don't believe it."

"It is true, you really are here…!?"

"No way, it can't be you could it?"

"It is!" The laughter of three reunited friends of long rings out on the beach as Booker T rough houses playfully with two boys, they were cousins Gregory Irwin and Jean Paul James, better known as JP for short.

"Man, long time no see!" Booker grinned. "What have you two been up to, how are your parents doing?"

"Well, I guess it's been quite some time since we last saw each other since the move." JP shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You know, new school, same old same old." Greg rolled his eyes.

"I hear that." Booker nodded and they all laughed.

"Yeah, some things never change!" JP nudged Greg.

"Speaking of which, how's your chance at being king this year?" Greg smirked slyly.

"Please…" Booker waved it off. "It's in the bag."

"That's what you said last time, right?" JP snickered. "I'm just sad we missed out on it."

"I'm serious!"

"We know you are." Greg sauntered off to the side.

"I mean it!"

"Yeah, yeah…" The duo rolled their eyes.

"Triple H is no threat to me." Booker growled to himself, starting to believe his own proclamations of victory less and less.

"Sure, prince charming." JP joked and Greg laughed loudly. Booker grumbled, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Back in the cabin…

"Ah, the quite solitude." Triple H was relaxed on his bed, laying with his arms behind his head. "Even a great warrior and future king such as myself needs a little tranquility every now and then…" He let out a happy sigh and closed his eyes. "Life is good…" A loud horn broke his meditation. "YOW!" He gasped and tumbled off the bed. "Ouch!" He cried, falling hard on the floor from the top bunk. He shook it off and snarled angrily as two strangers burst happily into the cabin to create a ruckus. "Why you little…!" He balled up both fists, veins bulging and eyes flaring.

"And you must be Triple H." JP smiled.

"Nah, Booker is right, he is no real threat…" Greg joked, and they both laughed.

"What did you say…" Triple H growled viciously, salivating with rage.

Greg blew through his small trumpet, jarring Triple H's ears with the loud echo, "All hail the king!"

"Why I outta…" He held his head. "BOOKER!"

"Uh, oh, hi Trips…" Booker slunk in around the corner. "So, have you met my two friends?"

"Figures they'd be YOUR friends…" He growled.

"Don't them get to you. I'll hang out with them by myself." Booker pulled them outside.

"Yeah well see that you do." Triple H scoffed, going back onto his bed. "I need some R&R."

"R…right." Booker laughed nervously and turned to his friends. "Guys, please, not Triple H. Not only is he my rival for the throne, but he's one bad dude."

"I don't see why you fear him." Greg shook his head.

"Yeah." JP nodded. "You said yourself he's no threat, and we agree."

Booker grimaced, "Look, why don't we play a game."

"Alright, hide and seek!" JP ran off.

"We'll count to a hundred!" Greg closed his eyes and they both began to count.

"Ugh, fine…" Booker ran off, and as he got further he realized something. "If I can hide and let things cool off before they find me, perhaps things will be better." He ran to the rocky part outside the camp where the sand ended and hid. "They will never think to find me here…"

Half an hour later…

"Where are you, come out wherever you are!" Greg was yelling, he stuck his head into the cabin where Triple H was still trying to relax. "BOOKER!"

"Ugh…" Triple H snarled through gritted teeth. "How the hell can anyone get some rest with those two loud mouths out there?"

"Man this sucks, what a gip." JP was groaning with frustration.

"Yeah, this game is boring."

"Then let's do something fun!"

"Alright, forget Booker. So how about we…" Greg was cut off when JP took the horn from him. "Hey give it back!"

"Keep away!" JP ran off laughing.

"I'll get you, just you wait!" Greg laughed, chasing him as he growled jokingly as they ran off deeper and further into the hills.

"I guess I don't blame Booker for not wanting to be found…" Triple H got up and stood in the doorway. "I guess I'll just, keep an eye on them." He began to stalk his prey.

Hours passed…

"Aw man I think we're lost." Greg was shuffling his feet in the dirt. "Where is Booker? Man…"

JP groaned, slumped back against a tree, "Yeah he'd know his way out here, but we've been yelling for him all afternoon."

"Maybe if we blow the horn really loud, he'll hear and come to find us." Greg reached out his hand but JP held the trumpet close, but sighed and relinquished it in defeat. Greg took a deep breath and let out a loud blast.

"Whoa, AH!" Booker T snapped awake, scrambling as he got up. "Here I am!" He looked around, realizing how dark it was. "Uh, is it really this late? Um, guys… where'd you go?" He jumped out of the rocks and walked around. "Boys, come on out now!"

"Do you think it worked?" JP asked.

"I don't know…" Greg sighed.

"Then… MY TURN!" JP grabbed it back and ran off.

"Cut it out!" Greg chased after him. "This is a serious situation! Ah!" Greg slapped it out of JP's hand and it flew off into some bushes.

"Great, now look what you did." JP growled.

"Me, it was all you bro!" Greg dove into the bushes, JP scrambling after him.

"Got it!" JP reached in first.

"No, gimme!" Greg reached in but made a sour face. "What the… that doesn't feel like the horn."

"Yeah, feels kinda warm, and fuzzy like…" JP gulped as they heard a hissing sound and the large mother fox leaped out, the horn in her jaws.

"AH! Help Booker!" JP and Greg screamed, running off as it angrily chased after them.

"Oh no we're doomed!" Greg screamed, they were cornered.

"Well, it's been fun, nice knowing you!" JP hugged onto him as they cried out in desperate fear.

Later that night…

"Oh, the sun has long gone down, I can't see out there. Where have they gone, why aren't they back?" Booker grumbled. "I searched everywhere, why didn't I watch them? I'm so dead… man, some reunion, now I'll never see them again." He slumped on the porch, not even wanting to go into the cabin.

"So, rough night?" Triple H asked in his usual quiet angry voice, he was the only one there, everyone else was still at dinner.

"You don't know the half of it!" Booker stammered, pulling on his hair. "Those two drove me nuts, I wanted to get rid of them, but I didn't want to get RID of them! Man my aunts and uncles are gonna kill me, they could be dead, or worse! Why didn't I watch them like I should've? I'm the older one, I have to be the more responsible." He put his hands over his head. "The more things change the more they stay the same, I should know better…"

"Look, the truth is the best way out of anything, lies can bury you in way too deep."

"So…?"

"So why don't you just tell your family the truth."

"Oh sure. How about, sorry guys, I messed up again, don't sue the camp but now your boys are dead, just like I'm gonna be!"

"No, no, no." Triple H shook his head, turning up his nose at such a statement. "I mean the truth." He winked.

"Meaning…" Booker grumbled, in no mood for games.

"Something like…" Triple H moved his hands to find the right words. "Hello guys, here are the boys back safe and sound, thanks to the great Triple H."

Booker's eyes went wide, "Whoa, uh, you want to run that by me one more time…?"

"Ah man, Booker you should've seen him!" JP jumped out from inside the cabin.

"Yeah, he was all fierce and brave and sent that wild animal off running with fear!" Greg grabbed onto Triple H, who leered down at them with angst impatience in his eyes.

"Don't you guys ever pull a stunt like that again!" Booker roared angrily, the two shrunk back in shock.

"Hey mister, it was your fault alright, don't take it out on them." Triple H frowned, Booker's jaw dropped, shocked at his sincerity at defending them.

"Yeah, Miss Tea." Greg stuck out his tongue at Booker.

"Do it again, all roar and angry like!" JP pulled onto his arm.

"Yeah, do it, do it, come on!" Greg grabbed onto his hair.

"Ah!" Triple H tried to break free and frowned desperately at Booker. "Help me…"

"Hah, no way!" Booker laughed as he realized he'd just seen a weak flaw in his main adversary, watching his helpless friend, who had gone from big dog to watch dog all in one shocking act of savior kindness. He knew he did have a chance at becoming king this year, and now he was sure of it. Triple H in fact could be beaten!


	17. Consoled Counselor

**A/N**: _Sorry for the delay, I've been really sick for over a week... still am heh. Oh well excuses - update_

It was another dark night in the campgrounds, it was the new moon of the lunar cycle and the stars did little to light up the sky. The sounds of the small waves crashing on the sand were droll and quiet, there was no breeze and no clouds, yet all was not still in the night. Something was up.

The next morning…

"Kurt Angle!" Farooq was yelling.

"EEP!" Kurt stood at attention, it was the crack of dawn and the campers were still asleep in their cabins. Not Kurt though, he was at Farooq's mercy. "Y… yes sir."

"Would you mind explaining the meaning of last night's upsetting events?" Farooq barked like a drill sergeant.

"What do you mean, s… sir…?" Kurt gulped, he had no idea indeed, but the fear he was showing was not helping to plead his case.

"Don't play innocent!"

"I… I'm not…"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"No, I don't."

"Don't lie!"

"I'M NOT!" Kurt roared but immediately cupped over his mouth with horror at raising his tone with his superior counselor.

Farooq was taken a gasp, he stammered quietly, trying to find the right words, but he let out all of his rage and frustration with one single syllable word, "….DAMN!" Kurt gulped, that was NEVER a good sign. Finally composing himself, Farooq continued, "I mean, the vandalism on the cabins!"

"Huh…?"

"The broken tree branches cluttering the path, trash lining the beaches, rocks through windows!"

"I have no idea, I honestly didn't do it sir! You've got the wrong man, it's not me!"

"Oh no, and who do you think DID do it?"

Kurt paused for a moment, "Well, why think me? I'm a good person, you know me better than this!"

"The person obviously had access to the supply cabin, judging by the content of the garbage in the sand. You're the only kid to have a key to that."

"But I didn't do it, somebody must've taken it from me, I swear it!" Kurt began to hyperventilate. "Please, you gotta trust me here on this one sir!"

Farooq paused and raised an eyebrow, "Alright, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. I do know you better, so perhaps you're right and somebody did take it from you last night. But who would do that?"

"I don't know." Kurt frowned. "But I intend to find out…"

Later…

"Ugh…" Kane was drudging around, shuffling his feet heavily as he walked. "I am so out of it."

"Man you look awful." Kurt remarked as he approached his friend.

"I didn't sleep any last night."

"Really…" Kurt froze in his tracks and lowered his brow. "Did you happen to see anything strange last night?"

"Why…"

"Farooq blamed me for the destruction done last night."

"Probably just punk teenagers, or some dumb camper." Kane shrugged absentmindedly and continued on. Kurt couldn't help but watch him carefully, something wasn't right about him.

Before lunch…

"I still don't have any other leads." Kurt was saying to himself as he sat outside the mess hall waiting for his turn to go get something to eat.

"Is it time yet?" Kane walked up, Kurt looked up and shook his head. "Darn, I need food, I still can't wake up."

"Coffee much…?" Kurt frowned, still not convinced if Kane was guilty or not, but he was the lead suspect, or at least until…

A shrill giggle of a girl was heard as a stranger appeared before them, "Hello." She smirked down at hurt. "My name is Noel." She was a teenager, toned and with a large chest, she wore a tight black shirt with PUNK in red letters that hung above her belly button. Her hair was dark and tied up back in two pig tails that almost touched her shoulders.

"Hey Noel." Kane looked more zoned out that normal.

"Hi Kane." She hugged onto him like a dance pole.

Kurt eyed them with a frown, "So, you two have met…?"

"I guess you could say that." She squealed as she sat on his lap.

"How long have you known each other?"

"Summer camp romance." She cooed.

"She's from Avalon." Kane said quietly to Kurt, not noticing his judging expression.

"So, does she have any knowledge about last night?"

"Oh man, we had a blast! We got totally drunk and trashed the place!" She opened her mouth to let out a crazy laugh. She dressed like a gothic girl but acted like a total ditzy clutz.

"So it was you!" Kurt jumped up.

"Huh…?" She cocked her head to the side.

"What are you talking about, it was us." Kane frowned, starting to wake up now.

"I got blamed for that you know, Kane why didn't you tell me this morning!" Kurt was fuming.

"Hey." Noel whispered loudly in Kane's ear. "I got my first piercing, check it out." She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue to reveal her ring. "Like it?"

"Well, let's try it out." Kane kissed her. Kurt's jaw hit the ground, Kane kissing? The world was coming to an end! He chuckled, "Yeah, I like it."

"Great." She giggled and got off his lap. "I gotta jet, I'll see you tonight!"

"Alright. Oh hey, are you hungry?"

"Yeah!" She jumped up and down.

"Hang on." Kane got up and went inside. Kurt's expression of utter shock faded into a leer at Noel, but she was none the wiser. Kane came back with food, "Here you go."

"Later!" She skipped off with the lunch.

"I'm starved." Kane sat down and began to eat.

Kurt leered at Kane, "You gave her MY food, didn't you…."

"Probably." Kane spoke with his mouth full of food. "Yeah, this hits the spot…" Kurt growled with frustration, he didn't like this new girl, there was just something about her.

Later…

"So you see sir, somebody came into the camp and got in our cabin, took the key and did the damage." Kurt was explaining to Farooq. "Kane saw, but before he could react, it was too late."

"Did he see anything, why didn't he mention it to me?"

"I honestly don't know. He said it was some teenage punk from town."

"I thought so, we've had problems with them here before." Farooq turned his back and marched back and forward, pacing in thought. "Alright, I'll let you off the hook, but you two have to clean up the damage and fix everything."

"Yes sir, of course. I'll tell Kane."

"It doesn't add up, why Kane didn't stop him."

"Who…?"

"The vandal!"

"Him?" Kurt blinked.

"I doubt a girl would have the strength or height to do some of the damage, but, well, you never know…"

"Kane you did it too, are you stupid!" Kurt roared at Kane later that day.

"I like her, I've never liked a girl before." Kane shrugged.

"And the first time you fall for one, it has to be a jezebel with a tongue stud!"

"So, judge not…"

"Whatever! But you took the key from me, why didn't you just tell me!?"

"I don't know, probably because I know you would react in this way."

"Ugh." Kurt shook his head. "Alright, I'll forget it, just help me clean it all up alright?"

"Fine." Kane got up. "That sounds fair."

"And I want you to stop seeing her."

"You're not the boss of me, mother."

"Seriously, this girl is fly by night! I can tell she's not the right one for you!"

"She's the first girl that I ever liked and she's the first girl to ever like me back! What if I can't do better than this, what if she's the one?"

Kurt sighed, feeling bad as he gave him a soft expression, "She's not, there will be more girls Kane. You will find the right one for you. Don't be desperate and fall for the first one, you know the saying, firsts the worst."

Kane chuckled, "Well that may be, we'll see…"

"Yeah, I guess we will." Kurt sighed and then went off to go get work started. An odd thing, Kane being afraid. But he was still not done on the topic, he needed to expose her to Kane for what she really was, a trampy mooch.

Later…

"There, finally all done." Kane stood up and took a deep breath.

"Yeah." Kurt stretched, the sun was setting and soon it would be dinner time. "You really caused a big mess."

"It was fun though, it was worth the clean up."

"So… are you going to see her again tonight?"

"If she comes back." Kane stared off into space.

"How many times have you seen her?"

"Just a few, but last night was the first night she came to the cabin. Tonight maybe she'll sleep with me."

"Sleep with you!?" Kurt jumped back.

"You know, share the bed with me."

"Oh…." Kurt shook the thought from his mind, man they weren't even ready to go 'there' yet, too young and too ignorant. Kurt cleared his throat, "Well, I give you my blessing then, I hope you two have fun and are happy together."

"Thanks Kurt, means a lot to me." Kane patted his shoulder. But Kurt only was hoping that she would turn away and break his heart, to help him he had to hurt him. Still though, he didn't like it.

The next day…

Kane was walking around in the same daze, only this time he had bags under his eyes and looked miserable, "Ugh, what a night…"

"What happened, the bed wasn't big enough for the both of you?" Kurt asked, he had fallen asleep without seeing anything, he tried to stay up as late as he could but never saw her come.

"She stood me up, I don't know what happened! She plaid me for a fool!"

Kurt sighed, "See, I told you so, she was fly by night, a tramp, a mooch, she used you, had fun with you, messed things up, messed you up, and took your food."

"Technically, your food."

"Live and learn." Kurt chuckled, hearing a glimmer of humor in his voice, "Anyway, I'm sorry."

"No, you were right. You knew it all along and tried to stop me. I didn't listen, I'm sorry."

"Hey, how about we just call it even, alright?"

"Okay, that sounds fine by me." Kane nodded.

"Great, then let's go get breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm hungry too."

As they walked towards the mess hall, Kurt couldn't help but remark, "You know, I've never seen this lovey dovey side of you."

"Yeah, well there's a first time for everything."

"And I've never seen you talk so much before, it's not like you."

"Yeah, love makes fools of us all."

"Oh, hey Kane?"

"Yeah?"

"I've never been with a girl either, and since you're the first one of us to have a girlfriend, I'm curious…"

"Shoot."

"Did you touch her?"

"I think I felt em up, but again I was drunk, so I don't remember."

"What's it like to be drunk?"

"I don't remember."

"Right… oh, and Kane?"

"Yeah…?" Kane sighed, getting tired of talking.

"What's it like to kiss somebody, with a tongue ring."

"…"

And that was the end of that… back to normal…


	18. Everybody's Fool

The fog was still hanging in low and thick in the late morning, there was a breeze that kicked up from off the ocean, creating small waves that hit the sand. Chris Jericho was standing in a proud statue like pose, one foot on a large rock, his opposite hand resting confidently, his other arm held back and strong. The gusts kicked at his long hair majestically, making him look like some great hero in his own mind.

'And the great wrestler, Chris Jericho surveys the land.' He narrated in his mind. 'This territory belonged to him, as well as the duty to uphold the laws and protect all wrestlers beneath him. Nothing can phase him, very few can defeat him, though many have tried.' He smirked to himself. 'He is indestructible.' As he wore a large happy grin in triumph, he couldn't help but feel a tickle in his nose. "Ah, achoo!" He grumbled and took out his coat. "Oh well, good thing I brought this." He put it on and smiled down at himself. "Yeah, I look good. It's new!"

Laughter was heard coming from the trees was Booker T and Ken Kennedy came tussling and rolling like they always rumbled for fun. As future wrestlers, they have to practice and hone their skills so that one day they may become great champions in the ring. But they are still only just children, so life is a fun game to them. Chris was too lost in his own mind to even pay notice, until it was too late.

"AH!" Chris cried out as he was toppled over by the tangle as they laughed and cheered. "Aw, that's great. Thanks a lot guys!' He sputtered sand and tried to dust himself off. He groaned, "Man, this was new!" A lock of hair fell over his face. "Arg, my hair, you messed it up again!"

"So what, it's just hair." Booker shrugged, still covered in sand.

"Yeah, wind messes it up, big deal, not the end of the world man." Kennedy agreed, throwing a small twig at him.

"It's my life, I can care about my clothes and hair all I want." He stood up and walked off angrily. "Somebody around here has to worry about their appearance at least."

"Man, I know he's a kid, but he needs to start acting more like a man, you know?" Booker sighed as he stood up, letting the sand fall off but not bothering to dust the remainder off.

"Hey, what's that?" Kennedy turned up his nose as he pointed to the back of Booker's shirt.

"Huh?" He tried to look around but he stumbled and fell back in the sand.

Kennedy laughed as he took it off, "Ewe, it's all mucky. Looks like trash that got stuck in the ocean."

"Gross." Booker frowned and looked around. "There's a lot of it, that's messed up…"

"Hey, I know a certain fancy pants that would really love to hate this." Kennedy sneered over at Chris who was sulking on a tree stump.

"Oh, we're going to a costume party!" Booker cheered.

Kennedy gave him a glance to the side, "That's not eactly the line I'd use, but I guess it could work here…"

Later…

Chris was wearing a content smile, he had fallen asleep in the warm sunlight that finally began to break through the clouds, it was just before lunch and his growling stomach awoke him. He muttered the dream away from his consciousness and let out a huge yawn as he sat up and stretched. He looked around as the sleep blinked away from his eyes, he smiled with approval at the nice day. He got up and walked passed a window, letting out another yawn as he looked at his appearance. His face twisted, his eyes snapping wide open, his yawn turning into a jaw dropping gasp as he let out a loud scream.

"AH!" His wail echoed to where even Booker and Kennedy could hear it from hiding in the forest. "Oh God! Ah Lord!" He began to pant with fear, his clothes were covered in grime. "Ah!" He pulled some stands of hair to find them full of bits of trash as well. "No, no, ah!"

"Chris!" Kennedy and Booker rushed over to aid.

"What happened?" He sobbed. "Guys, look at me!"

"Wow, I guess that's what happens when you worry about your appearance and clean too much." Booker sighed.

"What…?" Chris sniffed as he wiped his nose, confused.

"Too much fussy worrying." Kennedy shook his finger.

"I…. I don't get it." Chris frowned, blinking back tears in his eyes.

"Let's see, I've only heard of it." Booker thought aloud, tapping his chin with a finger. "It comes on suddenly in your sleep, you wake up filthy and don't know why. Wait, is that like leprosy?"

"Leprosy!" Chris squealed with fear.

"No, it's the other way." Kennedy corrected him quickly. "That's when you AREN'T clean. It's like reverse leprosy."

"Reverse leprosy?" Chris sniffed, his eyes watering again as he started to cry. "Oh no." He sobbed, hiding his face in his hands as he wept.

"Oh no!" Booker and Kennedy gasped in shock, winking at each other behind their acting.

"Are you sure…?" Chris looked up. "Maybe you're wrong, you aren't doctors, maybe it's something else. I don't wanna die!"

"Well…" Booker and Kennedy glanced at each other.

"Got a fever?" Kennedy felt his forehead.

"Got the shakes?" Booker shook Chris violently on his shoulders.

"Hair falling out?" Kennedy grabbed some locks of hair and tugged.

"Ow!"

"Sorry." He muttered.

"Let's see that tongue!" Booker reached in and pulled out Chris's tongue.

"Ow!"

"Sorry." Booker snapped it back. Chris let out a sneeze from all of his crying.

"Oh no, I don't like the sound of that congestion." Kennedy shook his head in false worry.

"Yeah, it's definitely reverse leprosy." Booker put his head against Chris's back to listen to his chest, hiding a smile behind his hand.

"How do I get rid of it?" Chris pleaded.

"Don't worry, you're our friend, we'll help you." Kennedy smiled.

"Yeah, we gotta look out for you, you're so young and small and helpless." Booker pulled on his cheek.

"Alright…" Chris sighed, somehow fearing the cure would be worse than the illness.

"Now for something this bizarre, the cure would have to be equally bizarre." Kennedy deduced.

"Like fighting fire with fire." Booker remarked.

"But wouldn't that only make the fire bigger?" Chris shrunk back.

"It's a saying…"

"Alright." Chris still didn't believe Booker, or Kennedy for that matter. They were standing on the tall tree in the back of the camp where the trampoline was. "So, I have to jump on this, with my eyes closed, while saying my name backwards?"

"Yeah, bizarre aint it?" Booker snickered and Chris groaned with fear.

"Don't worry, this isn't a cure, more like a test. We have to be like doctors and tackle this from every angle." Kennedy put a hand on Chris's shoulder. "Trust me."

Chris sighed, "Alright… here goes." He closed his eyes and jumped off, bouncing as he fearfully shouted out his name backwards again and again, "Sirhc, Sirhc, Sirhc!" Kennedy and Booker laughed and laughed, watching him until he lost balance and bounced off, landing on the floor with a loud, painful thud. "Ugh…" He groaned, his eyes rolling as he struggled to get up and shake his head. "Am I cured yet...?"

"Well, no... that didn't work, but at least we tried." Booker climbed down.

"And now we'll try my cure!" Kennedy announced.

"Your cure…?" Chris looked up meekly, what was next?

Kennedy had gone off to find his special antidote, Farooq was sitting in a lawn chair on the beach outside of the counselors cabin. He was wearing a fishing hat and dark sunglasses, reading the newspaper and had an open cooler full of ice and nice cold beer. However he had been out there for a while, there were empty cans and used up cigars in the sand around his chair. Kennedy snuck over and grabbed the last beer out, running of quietly without anyone noticing. Farooq turned the page and with a new article he went to grab a new beer. He felt, felt around, and felt some more. He sat up in a jolt, shocked to find his hand still empty. He lifted his glasses and looked around at the cooler. It was empty. Baffled, he looked around speechless with disgust, trying to find the right words to sum up such a dismal situation….

"DAMN!" And with that, the sunglasses fell back down on the angry man's face.

"I got it!" Kennedy raced back, he had poured it into a cup so Chris wouldn't know it was a beer. "Here, drink it up buddy." He shoved it towards him.

Chris sniffed it, "Ewe, it smells like a cup of hot tobacco chewer's spit!"

"You've got a vivid imagination." Booker turned up his nose at the sick description.

"Don't we all." Kennedy forced it into his face. "All medicine tastes like crap, so just drink it!"

"Okay!" Chris swallowed it. "Ugh, disgusting!" He stuck out his tongue, coughing and gagging and sputtering the awful taste from out of his mouth.

"I guess he didn't take it like a man…" Kennedy shrugged at Booker.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna throw up…" Chris began to saunter off, feeling even sicker now.

"Sorry…" Booker and Kennedy sighed grimly, and once he was out of sight, they burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back and giving each other high fives. Of course this celebration of victory turned into yet another joyful and spontaneous wrestling match.

Chris had slunk off to go and wallow in his own pool of self pity, he sat under a tree to be alone. He felt his forehead, "I don't even have a fever… and I'm gonna die." He sighed and shut his eyes. "Why me, I'm just a kid…?"

"Ugh kid that'd sick!" A voice shouted and Chris opened his eyes to feel something get torn off him. "It's not Halloween yet man, but please, don't go as some squalid little hobo! You're gonna get yourself seriously ill!"

"Ah, hey!" Chris gaped. "Don't touch me, I might be contagious!" He jumped back from the strange who just stood there smiling and laughing.

"Of what, germy dirt?" It was Keith, the teenager who had saved Booker and Kennedy before and had become friends with them.

"What do you mean…" Chris blinked, letting his guard down as he relaxed. "What are you talking about?"

"My friend, you're covered in trash, ocean trash to be exact. And tree leaves, and bark from trunks, muddy pebbles, junk from a receptacle bin, you name it! Heh, mother nature messed you up kido."

"You mean I DON'T have reverse leprosy?" Chris snarled.

"Reverse what...? Hah! No such thing." Keith laughed.

"Those bastards!" He roared. "I'm gonna kill them, I swear it!" He shook with rage.

"Hey, I know a little thing about getting even, why don't I help you."

"Yeah." Chris snickered. "Booker and Kennedy are gonna pay."

Keith beamed happily at the two names, "And as luck would have it, I know exactly the two friends you're talking about."

Later…

"Man do you think we went too far?" Kennedy asked.

"Nah, it's all in good fun." Booker shrugged.

"I mean he's young, ignorant, and small." Kennedy spoke with calm maturity and fret.

"Yeah… Hey we should get a plastic knife from the cafeteria and see if he'd cut out his own tonsils, hah!"

"I don't even think he knows what those are!" Kennedy started to laugh, forgetting about being responsible and serious yet again.

"Or where." Booker winked, pointing to his pants.

"Whoa, we don't wanna go too far and neuter him, then he really would be a little girl." Laughter sputtered through Kennedy's lips as he spoke.

"Or we could…"

"Excuse me…"

"Huh?" Kennedy and Booker paused and turned at the familiar voice.

"Oh!" Kennedy grinned. "Keith, it's you!"

"Hey, long time no see!" Booker got up and smiled politely.

"Yeah, busy. How've you been?"

"Great, what's up!" Kennedy asked.

"I come to bring a message from a blonde Canadian boy named Chris Jericho."

"It must be for us!" Booker gasped.

"Is alright, did he get hurt?" Kennedy jumped up, immediately worried again.

"He wanted me to tell you goodbye. I guess on one of the other islands there's a leper clinic for people with his reverse condition. He's going to live there until he's cured, if they have an antidote. And here I always thought it was on Hawaii, not the Channel Islands." Keith shrugged as he walked off. "Kids these days, so silly, I have no idea where he heard such a thing, but, I guess I'll follow after him… later." He walked off.

"Ah bro!" Kennedy grabbed Booker with fear. "We goofed, we messed up big time man!"

"Seriously, we have to go find him, and quick! Before he gets killed, or worse!" Booker ran off. "Hey Keith wait up!"

"Aw man we lost him, he's already gone!" Kennedy looked around.

"No, he went this way." Booker pointed and led the way. "Come on, before it's too late!"

Chris had already gained quite a bit of ground as they made their way further into the woods and higher to the top of the hills, finally they came to a large area full of thorn bushes. Keith folded his arms and looked down at Chris, who simply was smirking back up at him.

"Sometimes it pays to be the littlest one, watch me get low." He crouched back into a fighting pose and then took a jump forward, tucking into a curl and rolled through the bottom of the large thorns. He appeared on the other side gracefully, standing up into a stance, "Tada!"

"Nicely done, young one." Keith nodded.

"Not only that, but that thorn bath washed all of that junk right off of me." Chris looked himself over proudly. "Well now how are you going to get across?" Chris put his hands on his hips.

"Please, in terrain like this? Feh, this is my territory here." He hummed casually as he jumped and got onto a tree at the start of the thorn patch, he leapt to a large rock further into the mess and finally hopped over the remainder and onto the ground next to Chris, striking a similar pose.

"Couldn't have done it better." Chris nodded.

"After you?"

"Oh no please, after you."

"Why thank you." Keith led the way, Chris followed proudly, both wearing a large happy grin.

"Are you sure they came this way?" Kennedy panted as they finally came to a stop by the thorn patch. "Great, we're at a dead end!"

"No we aren't, if Chris came this way, we're going after." Booker declared.

"But through those big ol thorns?"

"What's the matter sucka, chicken?"

Kennedy leered back at him, "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Then, after you!" Booker shoved him into the thorns first.

"Ouch!" Kennedy cried and pulled Booker in after him.

"Hey whoa, ow!" Booker started to get suck with thorns too and they finally came out, covered like a pin cushion. "Oh, that didn't tickle…"

"No, not at all…."

"Come on, they can't have gone that far, we're almost there!" Booker shook them off and took off.

"Right behind you!" Kennedy pulled all of his off as well and followed after. After more time of running, they reached the top of the hills where the cliffs overlooked the small waterfall that fell down and ran to the other side of the island, Kennedy gasped in shock, "Here it is, we made it…" He looked around in awe, "It's the end of the world."

"And look whose there at the edge!" Booker gasped, pointing forward.

Keith turned to face them, standing next to Chris, "It looks like your two friends have come to see you." He walked off, his job done, and he went to hide behind a tree.

"Oh, hey guys." Chris sulked quietly over his shoulder, the others hadn't even noticed that the stuff was all off him, but they probably figured the reverse lepers had cured it.

"Hey, get away from that ledge there, it could be dangerous." Kennedy warned.

"Please." Chris scoffed without enthusiasm. "I'm Canadian, where hockey players are born on ice." He took a step to turn and the rocks near his foot started to crumble. "We don't sli-AH!" He fell off the side.

"Chris!" Booker and Kennedy screamed but they rushed over way too late.

"Oh my God!" Booker began to gasp frantically for air.

"Lord, he's gone, he's gone!" Kennedy stammered.

"DEAD!" They hugged each other, sobbing loudly as tears fell down their faces.

"Guys, uh hey guys… hello? Hey! Get a grip!" Chris yelled, the wind from his loud roar blowing their faces as they looked up.

"Chris!" They gasped, their tears dried as they hugged tightly onto him so much that he couldn't even breathe, but he smirked happily.

"You're not dead, oh we thought you were a gonner!" Booker cried onto him.

"How did you manage to survive the fall?" Kennedy sniffed.

"Well, I fell onto a rock sticking out not too far down the side, I was able to grab a root of a tree and climb back up to the ledge." Chris finally got free. "It was all because I was clean and ready to take action. And hey." He swooshed his hair. "I still look pretty damn good."

"Oh Chris, we're sorry." Booker hugged him again.

"Yeah, we'll never prank you like that again, we swear!" Kennedy promised.

"We need to stop treating you like such a little kid, you're real mature."

"Maybe even more so than us! Oh, I'm sorry man, I love you bro!" Kennedy kissed him on the cheek.

"Alright, alright." Chris grimaced, rubbing it off. "I get the picture."

"We owe you man, we need to make it up to you." Booker smiled.

"Yeah, after how we've been acting all this time, I think we deserve it."

"Nah, let's start with a clean slate. Besides…." He looked at their tattered clothes, dirty faces, messy hair and thorn punctures in their arms. "I think I got you back enough for one day. Now let's go home." He put his arms around their shoulders and they walked back.

Keith sighed happily to himself as he watched them go, "Though it was Booker and Kennedy who learned something today, I think it was Chris who grew up most of all." He nodded to himself with satisfaction, "I think he'll grow up to become one of the greatest wrestlers of all time." He tipped his head to him, "And because I'm talking to myself like some kinda nut job here, I'd better shut up and go. But good luck my friends, and may the force be with you."

And may the force be with YOU as well, youngns, may the force be with you, always. And cue Star Wars them!


	19. Peril In The Pacific

**A/N:** _Well, seeing as this story is getting nowhere with people yet again I think I'll post one more chapter and then stop for a while... I mean why spend my infrequent free time writing for nobody to read. I like to write but I don't do this for me you know_

The sun was out on another warm bright day as the sun's rays beamed down upon the sand and water as the waves crashed down on the children at play. The kids were all swimming and jumping into the ocean and playing tag under the pier, holding the poles of the dock as the safe place.

"Hey, no babysitting!" Somebody cried out in their game.

Down the shore, Booker T and Ken Kennedy were trying to see who could hold their head the longest under water. Shane Helms was going the Aqua Man route, trying to find if his super powers were water related. So far, no good. Jamie Noble was floating in the water, watching Terri and the rest of the girls talk and sun on the sand. He let out a happy sigh as a wave crashed over him, taking him out of his moment as he cried out. He surfaced to hear the sound of laughter as his friends all pointed joyfully at his misfortune. In fact, everyone was having fun that sunny day. Nobody had seemed to realize the gradual rise in temperature, the fact that every cloud that had hovered over the island had been quickly blown away by the ocean wind. They hadn't had a good rain in months, the only one day it showered was a month ago, and it didn't do very good. The river was drying up, trees and plant life further up the hills away from the water were growing dry, and the ground was brittle. But nobody seemed to notice the changes, they were all too busy having fun. Well, all except one person that is. Chris Jericho was sitting on the dock with a frown on his face as he watched everyone.

"Look at them, what are they blind?" He scoffed angrily to himself. "What a waste…" As he wore a sulking frown, a large splash overcame him, "AH!" He shook himself off, growling to himself as he was drenched. He shot a glare down into the water to see his friends all laughing at him. "Thanks a lot guys." He wrung his hair. "I'm soaked, ugh."

"Come on, come play with us!" Shane called.

"No, I have more important things to do." Chris turned his back on them, stubbornly.

"Yeah right, don't be such a spoil sport." Jamie smirked.

"Guys, can't you realize?" Chris asked, his voice weight down. "We haven't had any supply boats come in weeks, in a few days we could be out of food, or who knows what else. It's getting hotter and the island has had only one day of rain in many months. This is bad, it could be a heat wave, even a drought!" Everyone just rolled their eyes and let out a groan. "I mean it, soon we might not have any water to drink or even shower in!"

"Please, the ocean is right here." Booker sloshed the water around him.

"But the purifier can't process ocean water because of the sea salt." Chris remarked back.

"Your theory makes no sense." Jamie frowned, Shane nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah, you're all wet, your idea is washed up." Kennedy splashed Chris playfully again. "Don't be such a prudish little girl, you wimp!"

Chris ignored it, letting the water drip off his face, "I mean it guys, I'm serious. And I wish you could take it that way too." He sighed and walked off.

"Man, what a stick in the mud." Shane sighed.

"Yeah, whatever." Booker shrugged.

"Let's get out of the water." Jamie began to swim for shore.

"Hey get us some towels from the supply hut!" Kennedy called over to him.

"Okay, fine." He got out of the water and briskly walked on the hot sand towards the shade of the shed, grabbing his tattered vest from off the rocks. "Man, Chris sure is right about one thing, it is hot, hot, hot." He looked at the cabin and turned to see counselor Al Snow not too far off, he was ranked under Farooq because of his lax attitude towards work and his activities and sports always leaned towards fun. "Hey, where are the extra towels at?" He called over to him.

"Al, hey Al!" Spike Dudley rushed over to him, wearing an apron. He worked in the mess hall and was in charge of serving the food and cleaning the tables and dishes. He didn't cook, the campsite had hired a professional for that, don't want to poison the kids now do we.

"Not now." Al winked, nudging him before he turned to call back to Jamie, "They're not in the cabin, they're in the shed on the side there. Don't worry, it's unlocked, just go ahead and open it."

"But it's important Al…!" Spike protested quietly.

"Shh!" Al hushed him, a smile drawn on his face.

Jamie went and opened the door, "Hey there's no light, its dark in here." He stepped inside right as something leaped down onto him. "YARG!" He screamed as he tangled with the attacker, he cried out in fear as he shut his eyes in the struggle. But he stopped when he didn't feel it fighting back. "Huh?" He opened his eyes when he instead heard laughter coming from Al. He looked up in confusion to see he was fighting a Halloween decoration of a skeleton, he had been fighting it so hard his vest had ended up tangled up in the bones of the rib cage. "Ugh…" He lowered his head, his face turning bright red as he walked out, and if things couldn't make matters worse, he heard girls laughing at him. "Ah…!" He gasped and turned to see the girl cabin laughing at him, Terri was looking away, her head in her hand with dismay. "Oh man…! How embarrassing, ugh!" He ran off in painful defeat back to the cabin.

"Aw, hey come on…! It was funny." Al stopped laughing and caught his breath.

"Now Al, please listen to me!"

"Oh sorry Spike, you were talking?"

Spike frowned, "Al, the supply ship hasn't come in weeks, I have barely enough food stuffs left to last us a few days, tops!"

"Alright, alright calm it down." Al walked over to the real supply cabin and pulled out his keys. "We have all of the supplies we need right in… here…." He opened it to reveal a nearly barren room. "Oh God…" His face fell.

"Ah, and those damn vandals from a couple days ago, that didn't help either!"

"Ah crap, man we're in trouble!" Al began to shake.

"You think this is bad, just wait until Farooq finds out, he'll flip his lid!"

"That's what I was talking about… Ugh, I can just hear him now…"

And so can I…. DAMN!

Later…

"Sorry about the towels guys." Jamie was saying, he was dressed and had put on another of his vest jackets.

"It's alright, these things happen." Booker shrugged.

"Yeah, an accident. Not your fault." Kennedy nodded.

"I can't wait until lunch, I am starving!" Shane licked his lips hungrily as he folded up his cape to dry, it had gotten damp on the beach when he had left it with the rest of their clothes pile.

"I just wish somebody would listen to me, this isn't good." Chris sighed sadly.

"Dude, I do believe you. I just think you're going nuts over nothing. We're kids, it's not our problem. And even if it did happen, what could we do about it? Nothing. So why worry." Kennedy smirked as he let his arms drop to the side.

"Please, you used to believe in this stuff Ken." Chris protested.

"Yeah, I used to worry, but now I live carefree." Kennedy frowned. "Look Chris, you and I have a history with the matter together, can't you just let it go and leave bygones to be bygones?"

"I guess not, I know I can persuade you of all people, considering the fact that we do have a history together about stuff like this…" Chris walked off sadly. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to hoard and conserve what little we do have left." He walked out the door.

"Man, he needs to chill." Booker shook his head. But Kennedy was frowning, deep down he knew Chris was right, but he just couldn't believe it would happen now, he had to listen to his own head, he knew there was nothing they could do about it, they were kids, so why worry…?

A few days later…

"It's gone… it's all gone…" Al was in a heap on the ground.

"What are we going to do, we're dead! They won't send us anymore ships, and the planes are grounded here with no room for incoming drops!" Spike was crumpling and pulling on his apron.

"Just calm down, we have to stay adults on this matter. The kids will freak." Farooq was speaking quietly, he was serious on the topic. "I'll have Kurt Angle and Kane help work with this for us, see if maybe the girl cabin has anything to help. You two, go to the cafeteria, help the cook. I'll try to get a hold of Earl Hebner and Hillbilly Jim, alright?"

"Okay." They nodded and broke off. At least they could be civil on the matter, but the kids were confused, scared, and helpless, and they knew there was nothing they could do.

The four friends stood at their doorstep and looked at the island before them, "I can't believe it's all really gone." Shane was saying.

"From the top of the hills to the sand at the bottom, the trees are leafless and the ground is brown." Booker sighed.

"Guys look, can't you see it!?" Jamie squealed as he ran over the rocks, the others following slowly after him. "That clear stream and gushing waterfall!" He salivated, obviously hallucinating a mirage.

Kennedy looked around and shrugged, "I thing poor Jamie here has melted his brain, he's starting to see things."

"Yeah, I'll say." Jamie looked at himself. "My clothes, they're filthy and tattered."

"Dude, they're always like that." Booker couldn't help but make a joke, but he got no laughs, and not even he had the strength to laugh.

Shane paused, "Wait, my super hero sense is tingling! I can smell water, and something salty and sweet!"

"The ocean?" Booker shrugged.

"No food, water! Come on guys, I'm sure of it!" He took off running. "Shane Helms, away!" He made a swooshing sound as if he were taking off into the air.

"After him, hurry!" Kennedy was the first to follow. He led them to the back of their cabin where there was a vase of water and a small box with some snacks in it.

On top of the roof Chris was standing and waiting like a cat, he frowned as his friends neared and came to a halt, their eyes wide and their jaws dropping in shock as Booker was the first to speak, "Chris…?"

"I told you I was going to be prepared." He scoffed smugly at them.

"Alright, way to go, good old Chris, gang way!" Kennedy cheered and ran towards the stash.

"No wait!" Chris leaped down, backing him away defensively. "This has to go for a while, we can only use it when we're really thirsty and hungry!"

Kennedy paused to blink but then smirked and gasped, "Water! I gotta have water! I'm gonna waste away, I'm so hungry…" He started to crawl on the ground. "Help me, please…"

"Nice try." Chris smirked knowingly.

"Oh come on Chris, we're you're friends! What are you doing here, saving it for a rainy day?" Booker remarked, Jamie looking up dazed towards the sky. "And by the way, last time I checked." He gathered the trio around him. "It is four against one."

"Count again, T." Triple H's quiet, foreboding voice came from out of nowhere, standing in the clearing, his pure presence threatening enough alone.

Chris held his ground, taking a step forward as his voice shook, "I don't care if it is five to one!"

"Ugh, please." Triple H scoffed, rolling his eyes as he moved forward. "I'm on your side." He leered over at Booker and the others, their eyes wide and jaws hitting the floor as their hearts stopped, Triple H stood next to Chris and stared challengingly back at

the group.

"You are….?" Chris lowered his brow with suspicion, they hated each other.

"For once." Triple H shrugged quietly and forced a smile. "I've decided to guard the stash for you."

"You mean with me, don't you?" Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, whatever…" He muttered.

"Oh I get it!" Booker growled. "It's the long blonde's against us!"

"Nice to know where you really stand, Chris!" Shane folded his arms.

"Yeah, some friend you turned out to be." Jamie frowned, turning his back on them.

"Come on guys, let's go." Kennedy sighed and led them away. He glanced back over his shoulder to see the duo watching their every move as they went, "I never thought I'd see the day…"

"Feh." Triple H scoffed once they left. Chris kept a close watch on Triple H, he trusted his instincts, and right now they were telling him not to trust Trips.

That night…

The sun was just about setting, Chris and Triple H were standing on guard on either side of the supply hoard, it had been dull and quiet since the argument and finally something picked up.

"Hey there guys!" Booker T cried, coming over and throwing down some pots and pans at his feet.

"Huh?" Chris's eyes snapped wide open in surprise.

"What are you up to…?" Triple H squinted suspiciously at him.

"Look about earlier, I thought I could entertain you in order to make up for the way I acted. So come on, friends?"

"I, guess so…" Chris glanced curiously at Triple H who frowned and remained firm.

"Great, so now on with the show!"

Booker began to bang loudly on the metal cans with metal spatulas. Triple H frowned with dismay while Chris just stared in shock at the spectacle. But Booker was just the distraction, on the roof, super hero Shane was perched in his cape with a fishing pole and a large straw. He gave Booker a thumbs up and began to lower the fishing rod, the hook grabbed onto one of the packets of snacks. But it was heavy, he began to sweat. He put the rod down and went to lower the straw to suck up water. Kennedy and Jamie were waiting behind him for their turn, their mouths watering and stomachs growling. Booker cried out as Jamie slipped in his delusion and sent Kennedy stumbling onto Shane, who screamed and lost his footing.

"Huh!?" Chris and Triple H looked up right as the fishing pole fell and hooked in Triple H's hair and the straw fell into Chris's open mouth, sticking out like a long cigarette as he faced Booker. He and Triple H both snarled and glared down angrily at Booker.

"Eh, well that's all for today folks, good night!" He backed up with his gear and ran off. They leered up at the trio on the roof and they took off in a hurry.

"Wow, well that sure was boring." Triple H sighed, fishing the rod from out of his hair.

"Yeah." Chris yawned in agreement. "Almost put me to sleep. The sun's already down, boy it's later than I realized." He stretched.

"I suppose it is. We should probably take turns guarding." Triple H spoke sly and conniving. "I'll take the first watch."

"Yeah, and why should I trust you?" Chris scoffed angrily.

"Because you don't have much of a choice." Triple H sneered coyly at him.

Chris opened his mouth to reply but hesitated and looked away, "Uh, good answer… alright then, wake me up at sunrise." Chris yawned and settled down to sleep.

"You can count on me, Chris." Triple H smirked over at him and he fell asleep.

That morning…

Triple H was very groggy from keeping watch all night and the sun was just starting to come up, but it was already getting to feel very hot, and being by the ocean made it damp and sticky. Triple H glanced over at Chris who was groaning in his sleep, he had obviously caught a fever from the heat. He turned up his nose and slowly crept over to the water vase where the clear tempting beverage was just tempting his dry tongue. He licked his lips as he swatted away a small bug that was floating around the top.

"Move it buddy, now it's my turn." He stuck his head in and slurped in a nice cool drink. He pulled his head out with a satisfied gleeful smile, he went to stick his head back in when he saw a frown reflecting back at him. "Uh… um." He looked up to see Booker T glaring down at him. "Eh, the water's still fresh…" Triple H giggled innocently, putting on his best convincing smile.

"Nice try, you thief! You can't trick us like that!" Kennedy jumped out of the bushes.

"What's the deal, you can drink but we can't? You swine, you fiend!" Shane lashed out at him, gradually getting closer to the vase.

"Seems like I'm not only one guilty of trying to quench my thirst." Triple H leered at him.

"Oh, well that, um…" Shane gulped thirstily down at the water.

"Well we were just in our cause, and you weren't." Booker pouted.

"Yeah!" Kennedy nodded. Triple H started to growl at him.

"Alright, so everybody's thirsty." Chris appeared, hot, awake, tired and frowning. "And since Triple H has had a drink, then we all can have one."

"Yeah, now that's what I'm talking about!" Shane cheered, Kennedy and Booker joined him in a nice big drink.

"Hey come on, just one gulp, that has to last us for a while!" Chris cried and they pulled their head out to let him take a drink next.

That afternoon…

The heat was rising into a miserable degree as everyone tried to hide in what little shade they could find, everyone was weak and had no energy. Kennedy had gone off to find some shade elsewhere in the camp. Triple H got up stiffly and let out a yawn, stretching after he had slept. He made his way over to the supplies. Chris immediacy jumped over, the others swinging their heads over with a glare in his direction.

"Calm down, I'm just checking on the water." Triple H rolled his eyes, granted though he was thirsty again. He looked down the vase and frowned sadly, the water level had dropped greatly. He let out an angry roar, the heat in his body fueling his boiling rage, "Ah the water's almost gone! I'm gonna kill somebody, whose ready to die!"

"Calm down, nobody stole the water." Shane spoke up, looking at the vase directly under the high sun. "It's as plain as day, the sun is doing to our supplies the same thing it did to everyone else." The water was evaporating, and fast.

"Man at this rate, we're gonna be done in, we're gonna die here!" Booker cried, starting to lose it.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine, trust me."

"Ah shut it, super zero!"

"Guys, calm down, we can't let the heat drive us into fighting each other." Chris spoke dryly, dehydration already having set in. "We have to stay together and, and…" He looked around. "Where's Kennedy, and Jamie, I haven't seen him in over a day!" He gasped.

"Kennedy was here earlier, maybe he went to find him." Booker shrugged.

"I'm sure Jamie just went to go check on Terri and the girls." Shane nodded.

"I hope you're right…" Chris sighed, starting to get worried.

Meanwhile…

Kennedy had gone to the supply shed to sleep since it cast a small area of shade, plus it was near the beach so there was just a slight breeze coming off the ocean to cool him. The door was open a jar and cracking open as something stumbled in it. The Halloween skeleton from earlier had fallen loose and tumbled down onto Kennedy in his fast asleep.

"Huh, what?" Kennedy asked groggily, noticing the skeleton on him, with Jamie's vest tattered around the torso. "Jamie? What's going on, you're wasting away to skin and bones…" His eyes snapped open. "Right down to the bone!"

That night…

Everyone had taken another snack and drink and now they were down to almost nothing but a small pot of water and no more food. They were miserable and weak and tired and hot, they had no idea how much longer they could last. They couldn't believe it, it was even muggy at night, and there were no stars and you could barely see the thin crescent moon.

"Guys, what are we going to do?" Chris sighed, in a defeated tone.

"I dunno, I really just don't know…" Booker groaned sadly.

"We're dead out here, man this camp was a bad idea." Shane sobbed. "I should've gone to summer school like the tutor told me to!"

"Please, get a grip, the last thing we need here is a bunch of crybabies." Triple H grumbled, rolling his eyes as he turned away from the sad fest.

"Guys, help, it's Jamie!" Kennedy's crying voice came loud as he appeared holding the skeleton with Jamie's vest tangled on the bones. "I think he got so thirsty he just dried right up, he had no food, his stomach must've eaten itself!"

"Oh my God!" Booker screamed.

"Jamie!" Shane wailed. "Ah no!"

"Oh this is a bombshell, and it's all the blonde's fault!" Booker accused with a pointing finger.

"Well, it couldn't be helped… it's not our fault." Triple H muttered, looking away in shame.

"No." Chris sniffed, hanging his head. "He's right Triple H…"

So they decided to bury the skeleton there at the cabin, the five of them stood vigil for the makeshift funeral. Shane laid down his cape over the dirt grave while Chris and Triple H puffed out their chests to salute to his honor. Booker and Kennedy held an end of the vest up and folded it up like a flag for in a soldier's death. Shane hummed the tune of 'Amazing Grace' as they did.

"For Jamie, a friend who may not have said, or done much, but he was always there." Kennedy paid tribute.

"Yeah, he was kinda quiet and always in the back…" Booker thought aloud.

"He was strong, fearless, brave, quick on his feet and in his head…" Kennedy went on.

"Wait he was…?" Booker blinked confused.

"He loved the girls more than his own friends, but he died with honor and grace as he fought the good fight."

"Are we talking about the same guy here?"

"Well, all in all, what else can I say about him?" Kennedy sighed with a shrug.

"I guess…" Booker grimaced slightly.

"So let's hear it for Jamie!" Shane raised a fist into the air.

They all chanted his name, "Jamie! Jamie! Jamie! Jamie!"

"What, what, what, what, what!?"

"Huh?" Everyone turned around. "Jamie?"

"It's you!" Shane gasped in shock. "You're alive!"

"Well yeah, last time I checked." Jamie looked himself over. "I am a little dirty and tattered thought."

"You always are." Kennedy laughed with relief.

"But the bones, with your vest!" Chris cried.

"Oh, that…" Jamie's face blushed. "Don't ask, I'll tell you later…"

"Well, then where were you?" Booker stammered.

"With Terri and the girls." Jamie's words nearly made everyone faint from stupidity.

"Hey, look Jamie, we're sorry. It's a little late, and there's not much left, but would you like something to drink?" Chris offered with a meek smile.

"Yeah sure, that'd be great! Water!" Jamie cheered, and he felt something fall gently on his cheek. "Huh?" He looked up as another touched his forehead.

"What the…?" Everyone looked up as the dark sky began to drop sprinkles on them. "RAIN!" The whole camp came to life as everyone ran outside to dance with joy and cheer with relief, they were saved. It came down all night and all day, the next night it was still pouring.

"Man alright, enough falling water, we get it!" Booker cried at the dark cloudy sky.

"Well I'll be darned. So Chris was right after all." Shane nodded, case closed.

"Yeah, who would've figured?" Jamie laughed.

"Excuse me!" Chris perked up loudly, making a stern face. "Did I just hear somebody say that, I was right!?"

"Whoa, hello!" Booker covered his ears.

"No, nope!" Jamie and Shane shook their heads quickly.

"No dice, Chris." Kennedy smirked.

"Now you're the one who's delusional, Chris." Triple H grumbled with disappointment. But they had survived through the adventurous ordeal and slowly but surely things were thankfully returning back to normal. Or perhaps even better so now, that they have all learned a lesson.


	20. The Cry

**A/N**: _In the next chapter I will be starting the King of the Camp tournament, there's about 15 or so chapters left after this one but again as I said... I'm tired with little free time so why bother if nobody will read this._

It was a dark night, the air was cold, the moon was hidden behind the lingering clouds. Something hung in the air, something ominous, shivering with anticipation. The town of Avalon was quite in its sleep, but all was not still. In the middle of the street two young figures were running, one was a teenage boy, the other a teenage girl. She was wearing a large bulky jacket from the cold weather, he was wearing a long sleeved shirt under a short sleeved vest. Her name was Robin, she had long curly dirty blonde hair. His name was Adam, he had long light blonde hair that reached shoulder length. They panted as they ran, having obviously come very far until they finally neared the edge of town where the road turned dirt as it came towards the ocean. Robin gasped and cried out in shock as she lost her tired footing and stumbled down.

"Hang on, are you alright!?" Adam went to help her up, but she didn't respond, she was shaking with fear and staring up before them. Adam turned to follow her gaze and froze, his eyes wide. "Ashton…"

"And where do you think you two are going?" Ashton sneered, the bangs of his brown hair falling over his eyes, the longer part in the back blowing over his ears in the ominous wind, his clothes ruffling in the gust.

"We've had it Ash, we're out!" Adam tried to growl, but he was nervous, nobody had ever tried to leave the gang before, at least who didn't end up killed or taken to jail.

"I never liked you anyway, you were pathetic, just a friend of a friend, the only reason we had you in our part was because we thought you could be of some use, but…" He lowered his menacing glare. "You were not."

"Fine, if you have no objections, we're leaving then." Adam pulled Robin up quickly, he knew Ashton would have objections.

"You can go, but Robin stays." Ashton sneered. "She's my next door neighbor, and best friend from childhood. I know she'll make the right choice."

"Yes, the choice is hers"

"Well what do you say then, Robin?"

"My place is with my boyfriend, he's the one I love." Robin smiled meekly up at Adam who grinned lovingly back down at her. "I can't do this anymore, you were my friend, but you all have changed. We started out as just a group of friends having fun, but now this gang has turned criminal. I don't want a part of this anymore."

"Hear that, we've had enough." Adam nodded sternly. "So we're getting out, running away, we have to escape your grasp Ash!"

"Bad choice, your place is with your pack." Ashton clenched his fists. "I don't like to strike a lady, but seeing as I have to fight with Adam anyway." He raked his fingers across his neck.

"Not on your life!" Adam pulled Robin close. "Come on, we still have a shot to get out!"

"No you don't!" Ashton yelled, and at that signal, the gang jumped out from behind him and he led the chase. "After them!"

"Hurry, we can do this!" Robin panted.

"Are, are you sure you want to go through with this?" Adam asked.

"Yes, I want out, I want to be with you. I want us to be happy. I never wanted this kind of life for us."

"I always knew you were different." Adam smiled as they reached a low cliff that overlooked the crashing waves of the ocean. "You can always change your mind you know."

"Yes I can, but I won't."

"You're cornered, don't do something stupid." Ashton warned.

"I could say the same to you, but I know I'd be wasting my breath!" Adam yelled back and he and Robin plunged into the ocean.

"Ah!" Ashton roared and the gang stood growling on the ledge, the duo having disappeared into the darkness. "We have to follow them, they can't get far."

"Tonight?" One asked.

"Yes tonight!" Ashton barked back.

"But I have bible study tomorrow." Another spoke up.

"And I still haven't finished my homework." One other added.

"And you call yourself punks!?" He snarled as he turned his attention back to the task at hand, "This isn't over Adam, I promise you that…"

Adam and Robin had washed up down the beach where the wilderness separated the town from the campsites, Adam shook the water off, "A…are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Robin caught her breath and looked back with relief at the town that was so far away. "Can you believe it, we're finally free of Ashton's gang."

"Yeah, but we're not over yet." Adam helped her up, squeezing the water from her hair. "You know we still have a long way to go though, right?"

"Yes, but it's fine, I'll go anywhere and do anything, just as long as it's with you." Robin hugged onto his arm.

Adam kissed her forehead, "I'm with you." They walked off, the sun would be rising soon and they had to make ground quickly, knowing the punks would be after them.

That morning…

"Aw come on, I can't believe this!" Ken Kennedy was yelling with frustration.

"Of all the things to happen to all the people on all of the days!" Booker T whined loudly.

"Come on, he can't help it, it's not his fault." Jamie Noble spoke up.

"That's right, these things happen." Shane Helms nodded with agreement.

"Of course…" Triple H spoke with a smug tone and a sly smirk. "That's just Murphy's Law, or in this case, Jericho's Law." He snickered with glee.

"Now you'll have to stay here in bed and rest up." Spike Dudley was telling Chris, who was sitting under the covers with a pouting face and arms folded, a large damp cloth topped on his head.

"But what about the hike trip!" Chris cried and let out a loud sneeze.

"You're too sick. Farooq and Al Snow are still taking everyone else, but the nurse advised me to stay back with all of you to make sure you're alright. The nurse has to go with them just in case, and the rest of the cabin has to stay just in case Chris is contagious, any of the rest of you could get sick while up there."

"It's just some chill and a fever, just because his body aches too much to move doesn't mean ours does!" Kennedy protested.

"Can't take the risk." Spike shrugged. "If it were up to me I'd let you go, but I'm just following orders."

"I'll chance it, come on I've been looking forward to this all week!" Booker cried.

"Sorry guys." Spike shook his head. "Besides I need to make sure somebody makes Chris take his medicine, the congestion in his head could go into his chest and he could get even worse."

"Fine…" Shane rolled his eyes.

"I'll go make you guys some snacks then." Spike left.

"Great!" Jamie sobbed. "I miss my chance to spend time with Terri outside of the girls cabin, and now my opportunity is ruined!"

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take this moment to make my exit." Triple H walked off.

"Oh well…." Shane sighed. "I guess there's no fighting it."

"I'm really sorry you guys." Chris frowned, throwing the washcloth off of his face.

"These things happen, especially to you." Booker tried to make a joke.

"Here, these should tide you over until lunch, seeing as you didn't get a breakfast." Spike came back with some snacks and left again back to the cafeteria.

"Well, I guess we should just make the best of things." Kennedy opened a bag of sunflower seeds and started to eat, spitting out the shells on the ground like a ball player.

"Gees, how sanitary. No wonder Chris got sick so fast." Jamie frowned and picked up a broom.

"Gee, looks like somebody's been spending too much time with the girls." Booker laughed.

"Somebody has to take charge here, and I'm guessing it isn't going to be one of you."

"Well I can't clean, getting dirt on my hands gives me, ah, allergies." Shane stepped back.

"Come on, aren't super heroes supposed to help?" Jamie frowned.

"Yes, in danger, not in dusting. Gregory Helms away!" Shane ran off.

"How many aliases does he have now?" Booker rolled his eyes.

"Well I'm going to go take a nap somewhere quiet." Kennedy left.

"Oh come on you guys!" Jamie cried.

"Well I'd better get too while the getting's good!" Booker ran off.

"Aw…"

"It's really nice of you to offer to clean up the place Jamie." Chris smiled and let out a yawn.

"Thanks Chris."

"Sorry to say it might aggravate my sickness and we can't chance that now can we?" He got up. "I'm going to rest in the nurse's cabin, seeing as nobody is there I should be safe. See you later!" He ran off.

"Not you too Chris, dah!" Jamie wore a miffed expression. "Well I guess I can't blame any of them, nobody likes to clean up, not even me. But I guess I have to take charge here." He coaxed himself on as he worked.

Meanwhile…

"They've had to come this way." Ashton was growling to himself. "You guys flank the shore, we'll look in the woods, meet up at the beach." The two groups ran off. After some time of searching Ashton arrived at the beach first. "Look what we have here…" He saw Robin's hair band in the sand. "They came this way alright." He put his fingers to his lips and let out a shrill loud whistle, others from the second group ran through the water and met them. "They came this way alright, let's comb the beach, then we'll head into the hills." Ashton ran off, leading them on their mission.

Robin shivered with fear and shook from the cold as she watched them run away, Adam turned to her, "Hey, are you alright?"

"Oh, yes…" She stammered.

"Are you sure you wanted to do this?"

"Yes, of course I am." She shook her head.

"I'm just worried about you." Adam frowned with concern.

"I'll be fine."

"Alright then, let's just get out of here." Adam walked off, but he couldn't help but glance back, there was something about her, something that wasn't right.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, what if it's not safe?" Robin was asking, her eyes and voice tired as they made their way into the campgrounds."

"Look, do you see anyone around?" Adam's voice was calm and smooth, though he was worn out as well. "There's a cabin that's left open, nobody is here so we can rest safe for a while and then continue on later."

"Alright." Robin nodded and he led her towards the cabin Jamie was cleaning.

"There, I think I did a good job. I opened the windows to get some air, I swept and dusted, even made all of the beds." Jamie wiped his brow. "Whew, yeah I think I did great!"

"Excuse me…"

"And now I can go off and relax to."

"Pardon me…" Adam spoke up again. "I was wondering if you could…"

"What's that?" Jamie turned around, finally hearing Adam's voice.

"Uh…" Adam paused as Jamie screamed with fear.

"Stay back!" He cried, backing away up against the wall as Robin and Adam entered. "Look out!" Jamie ran through them, he ran off screaming.

Robin laughed, "Oh well, so much for a first impression."

"He probably recognized us from the gang." Adam smirked.

"I'm sure we can explain everything once he comes back." Robin went to the closest bed.

"Are you sure you're alright now?"

"Yes, just a little cold is all, and tired…" She stretched and sat down. "But for now, let's just enjoy the peace and quiet and get some rest."

"Well, I feel bad about it, but, alright…" Adam lay down next to her and they both closed their eyes.

Later…

"You guys should've been there!" Jamie was stammering, he had run to find everyone he could, so far he had been able to find everyone except Triple H.

"So somebody attacked you and took over our cabin? Not cool!" Kennedy frowned.

"We'd better go back and investigate." Booker agreed.

"Hurricane away!" Shane jumped off first, the others following, Chris in tow.

"Alright." Jamie hid behind a tree, the cabin was quiet now. "Chris you hide outside to block in case they run out, Shane and I will take each window. Booker and Kennedy will enter the door to try and hold the fort." Everyone nodded and they walked quietly in the sand closer to the cabin. "Yeah, those punk teenagers won't know what hit them." Everyone froze.

"Wait, as in those teens from the gang?" Shane shook.

"Gangsters?" Booker gasped.

"Whoa, you didn't mention that!" Kennedy took a step back.

"Are you sure we shouldn't wait for Triple H?" Chris swallowed hard.

"Come on, there's only two, we outnumber them, so there's no need to fear." Jamie continued on.

"I guess he has a point, we don't know unless we try." Shane sighed and they all followed.

"See, that was a nice rest." Adam yawned as he sat up.

"I'd really like to stay here for a while, if that's alright with you." Robin smiled groggily.

"Sure it is." Adam smiled down at her, kissing her cheek, he was still worried about her.

"Hey!" Booker and Kennedy stood in the doorway.

"What the…!" Adam gasped.

"You thought you could get the drop on me?" Jamie jumped in from one window.

"Well the joke's on you." Shane flew in from the other one.

"What's going on?" Robin shivered, sitting up closely next to Adam.

Adam stood up, "Please, let me explain." He began to back away, pulling Robin's arm as he went. "We don't want any trouble."

"Well too bad, you've got it." Chris jumped from the roof and landed as Adam and Robin stood on the porch.

"What is with you, we don't want to fight!"

"Well you've got one." Chris crouched and let out a battle cry as he lunged forward, but Adam was quick to dodge in Chris's ill state, and he tripped. Adam couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't take us lightly." Jamie stood with everyone outside, facing off with Adam and Robin.

Adam sighed and frowned, "Look, I've been running for a very long time, and if anyone else is going to be doing some running, it'll be you whose doing it." He snarled, everyone cowering and taking a step back.

"So you want to pick on somebody your own size?"

"Huh?" Everyone turned to see Triple H standing in the clearing.

"Alright, Trips!" Chris cheered.

"No, I don't."

"Well too bad!" Triple H roared and jumped forward, but Adam quickly reversed it and Chris stumbled in the sand in front of Robin.

"Adam please." She sighed breathlessly. "This is their place, and it's obvious we're not wanted here." She walked slowly towards Adam, Triple H watched her carefully, his face full of confusion.

"Well, I don't like it, but alright." Adam took her hand and they slowly walked off.

"Hey, the one he called Robin didn't look so good…" Shane finally spoke up.

"Well they were sleeping in Chris's bed." Booker joked, Chris growled at him.

"Maybe we were too hard on them." Kennedy agreed.

"Hey, they attacked us, remember? We had to defend our domain." Triple H scoffed.

"Maybe we could've done it a little nicer though…." Jamie watched as they disappeared into the hills. "Strange though, they weren't like those other gangsters…"

Meanwhile…

"They came this way, come on, we're close!" Ashton was running from the hills down towards the camp grounds. Adam and Robin had heard them coming and hid in the bushes, watching them pass.

Adam poked his head out from behind a tree once they were long gone, "I think they're following our old trail down to those campers." He turned to Robin, her eyes were glossy. Adam sighed, "We would have extra time to escape, but…" He bit his lip and sighed.

Later that afternoon…

"Well, at least we had some excitement today." Chris sighed as they sat on the large rocks near their cabin, the sun was setting and Spike was working on dinner.

"Too bad, I was looking forward to the hike." Booker muttered.

"Well, they'll be back tomorrow anyway." Kennedy shrugged quietly.

"All things happen for a reason, maybe we were meant to stay back here?" Jamie wondered.

"What, you mean something with those two teenagers?" Shane asked.

"Whatever, if I any see more of those gangster punks it'll be too soon." Triple H ran off. "I'm outta here!" He disappeared behind one of the other buildings, and a moment later there was a loud yowl followed by scuffling as Triple H came panting and running quickly back towards the cabin, panting as he tripped in the sand and tumbled down, rolling towards the porch and landing in front of the rest of them.

"Wow, some entrance." Kennedy laughed. Triple H's face twisted into a snarl, but not at the joke, he jumped up and flexed into an angry battle stance as Ashton and the rest of his gang appeared, silhouetted in the sunset skylight.

"Well, look what we have here." Ashton sneered. "I think I recognize these kids."

"Great." Booker frowned. "We're dead, us against a whole gang, outnumbered?"

"You don't stand a chance, so why don't you tell us where those outsiders are." Ashton snarled.

"Outsiders? Well, we're outside. But we're the only ones here." Jamie shrugged.

"Everyone else went hiking this morning and won't be back tomorrow." Shane stammered.

"Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding?" Booker gulped.

"Yeah." Kennedy smiled. "No hard feelings then right?" He stepped forward.

"No, but there will be." Ashton chuckled with a cruel smile.

"You'll have to get through…" Triple H growled, but Ashton snarled and began to move forward. Triple H froze and shrunk back, stepping away, "I mean um, go through, me, uh…"

Ashton laughed, "Please, I could waste you all!" He raised a fist.

"Ashton!"

"What the…!" Ashton cried, everyone turned to see Adam standing heroically at the edge of the camp, Robin hiding in the forest. "Well, well, look what scum comes crawling back."

"Leave those kids alone." He lowered his head aggressively, stalking towards him. "It's me you want."

"Yeah!" The gang began to advance on him.

"Stop!" Ashton spat. "This fight is between Adam and ME." He moved towards Adam, they circled each other like hungry lions. Ashton pulled a knife out of his pocket.

"Come on Ash, fight me like a man." Adam sneered.

Ashton raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Fine then." He threw it into the sand. "I will." They glared deep into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity. "Now I'll show you why I'M the leader…" They leaped at each other, tearing into one another like vicious rabid dogs. Everyone watched in horror, but Adam needed support against the whole gang, he was only one man making a stand.

"Come on, you can do it!" Kennedy cheered first.

"Yeah, you got him!" Booker rooted.

"OW, looks like that one hurt!" Shane covered his eyes.

"Watch out!" Jamie gasped. "Yeah, that's it!"

"Whoa, not bad!" Chris cried in awe.

"Yeah, for some punk from Avalon." Triple H shrugged, Chris smirked with amusement.

Finally after a violent battle, Ashton was thrown to the ground and Adam stood tall in victory, "Now you get up and get out, and take those PUNKS with you!" Ashton stood up weakly, battered and beaten and led everyone out with their heads hung low in defeat. Robin glared at Ashton as he walked past her into the hills.

She smiled with glee and rushed over to Adam, "Oh you did it!"

"Yeah, and that felt great!" He beamed. "I should've done that a long time ago!"

"No, now was the right time." She let out a sigh. "Well, I guess we'd better get going now, it's a long walk back to town."

"Yeah, alright." Adam gave one last look around and they walked off.

Everyone watched, frozen in silence until Chris spoke up, "Somebody do something, we can't let them go now!" Triple H frowned and jumped forward, running after them. He leaped and cut them off, crouching down into a growl.

"Ugh, what's with you kids? I don't want a fight, haven't you realized that yet?" Adam let out a frustrated sigh.

"I think what Triple H means is, he's sorry, we all messed up." Booker smiled.

"You guys are alright, so don't go away." Kennedy put an arm around his friend.

"Yeah, our place is big enough for you guys too." Chris grinned.

"Stay and rest." Shane nodded.

"Thank you." Robin let out a relieve sigh and hugged each one tightly, giving them a happy kiss. Needless to say each one of them practically melted to the ground. "Well, now that that's taken care of…" She began to head back to the cabin. "If you guys don't mind, I'm feeling kinda tired…" Her voice trailed off and she fainted.

"Robin!" Adam screamed, rushing towards her.

Hours later…

Triple H and Chris were pacing back and forward outside of the nurse's cabin where Spike had taken Adam and Robin inside. It was late into the night and the hours began to climb into early morning, yet nobody could sleep, they were worried and waiting with anticipation, wondering if Robin would be alright, wondering what happened and what was wrong with her all this time.

"Oh come on, stop it, you're making me dizzy!" Kennedy finally cried, the two blondes looked up at him.

"Cut it you, you're going to wear a hole into the ground." Booker grumbled.

"Yeah, we're all worried." Shane nodded in agreement.

"Hey!" Jamie gasped, standing up as he finally heard sounds and the door opened. Everyone rushed over to see what was going on after all this time with no contact. Spike appeared with Adam, each one was carrying a gurgling bundle in their arms.

"Ah!" Everyone gasped, Robin had been pregnant, and those were her twin babies! They all ran over, "Aw!" The two babies cooed happily at all of the attention and fussing, one of them looked up with large eyes in wonder at Triple H. He stared in shock back, wide eyed, then frowned confused and looked at his friends. "Awww." They all laughed.

"Well I guess they are kinda…" He paused as the baby pulled on his hair. "Cute…" He frowned and pulled away, everyone laughing.

"Well this is all thanks to you guys, I can't tell you how happy we are." Adam smiled. "We owe you a lot."

"You too, if not for you, that gang would've killed us." Chris smiled.

"And now I think that things will change back home in the city too." Adam looked up at the sky. "This is the start of a wonderful new life, with Robin and our two children. We can be happy back home, and I feel that the threat of Ashton's gang will be diminishing." He looked back at the kids. "I hope you can forgive me for my misgivings in the past, I hold nothing towards you. And I can now make sure back home the gang breaks up and you can be safe out here." He held the baby he was holding close. "I want to make the best future possible for my son and daughter."

"If anyone can do it, you can." Chris nodded, then let out a sneeze.

Jamie smirked, "Say Adam."

"Yeah?"

"Seeing as I guess you can do anything, do you think you could make Chris's immune system any stronger?"

"Hey…" Chris glared at Jamie and they all started laughing.


	21. The Wrestler Who Would Be King

**A/N:** _Well, I've figured since nobody was really reading much into this anyway, and seeing as I have the last 15 chapters already written and done and just sitting in my computer, time for some fall cleaning. I'm just going to update one every other day or so until it's finished, I've got a few other stories I would like to start working on with my minimal free time, so maybe those will go somewhere. Oddly enough, I've also got the desire to do a yaoi wrestling fic, even though I've never done one before. Guess with who, Triple H and Chris Jericho. At the end of this story, you'll see why… enjoy_.

As we enter the second month of summer camp, the preparations for the king of the camp contest have started. Let's take a moment to look back on how just the first month alone has already started to change some of the friends. Booker T was finally starting to grow up, he spoke differently and when he first came was more about joking, it took some risks in danger and some backfired pranks, but he finally learned a lesson and decided to start focusing more on his rivalry with Triple H for the throne. So far Shane Helms had yet to find his super powers, but decided on the super hero name of The Hurricane. Jamie Noble matured as well, he fell in love with the diva Terri Runnells, who was one of the girls in the only girls cabin, a project at serious risk of being cut. Ken Kennedy has yet to change, he has his moments, but always has. Perhaps by the time summer vacation has ended, he will have made the most drastic change of them all. Triple H, if anything, has become more focused, colder, and meaner. Could he ever have a nice day? And last but not least is the young Chris Jericho, he's become even more so fussy when it comes to his hair and appearance, always brushing and grooming, he seems to has less fun yet more trouble than any of them. The biggest shock of them all was with his seemingly volatile relationship with Triple H is starting to change, even though the truces seemed to last only for a few days or so, only to be broken yet again, Chris and Triple H were staring to see more eye to eye and even getting along and siding with one another on key items. But could the eldest and toughest ever coexist with the young and ignorant Canadian? Yet again, only time will tell…

The large clearing in the center of the campgrounds was spread open, the fallen logs used as makeshift benches around the campfire pit were pushed out of the way, the sand was cleaned of all debris, and the king of the camp arena was getting underway.

The gang was all in their cabin, Jamie Noble stood by the doorway looking out, watching as the counselors and adults building and putting the set together. "Well the time is almost here…" He sighed as he turned to go back in. "I'll be, just seems like yesterday we were getting off the boat and coming onto the island here."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Shane smiled, nostalgic.

"We sure have been through a lot though." Kennedy chuckled.

"Yeah, and we've grown and learned from them." Chris grinned.

"And become stronger…" Triple H muttered, brushing a fist against his chest.

"I wonder what the future will hold?" Booker pondered with a sly smirk. "For King Booker…!"

"Excuse me." Triple H growled deeply, sitting up with anger flaring in his eyes.

"Guys come on, let your fists do the talking." Kennedy stood up between them.

"Yes, but in the ring when the time comes." Jamie added meekly.

"No, I'm sick of it, the time is NOW!" Triple H pounded furiously. "I've had enough, I know I'm going to be the king of the camp, the only thing between me and the throne is that moron and his own damn ignorance!" He pointed feverishly at Booker.

"Please, put up or shut up." Booker growled with a challenging frown.

"Bring it on then." Triple H bared his teeth, lowering his head like a bull aiming his horns.

"Stop it now!" Shane yelled and everyone froze, turning to hear what he had to say. "The time for the king of the camp has finally come, yes. And the entrants of our cabin have already been decided, you two. We've waited a whole year, grudges and confrontations throughout aside, I think we…"

"Yeah, you're right." Triple H cut him off with a curt nod. "We need to pick up sides!"

"Huh what!" Shane stammered, that wasn't what he was going to say at all.

"Fine then. Who votes for me, King Booker?"

"More like Prince Booker, I'm the king of kings." Triple H snorted.

"You have my vote, buddy." Kennedy sided up next to Booker.

"Yeah, all hail King Booker!" Jamie cheered, then covered his hand over his mouth. "Oh gosh what am I saying…!" He suddenly stumbled upon a though, if the immature prankster, the boy who never took a day in his life seriously, if the procrastinating Booker was made king, what would happen to the kingdom of the camp and all of them not only in the cabin, but everyone?

"I admit, I prefer the fact of cheering for Booker over being under a dictator and having my life threatened under a regime of Triple H." Shane waved his hand, voting for Booker T as well.

"Well, I can see both sides, but…" Chris was the last one to side, so far everyone was voting for Booker and Triple H was growing even angrier. "I guess you have to look at falling under incompetence, or being driven to the end by a cruel monarch." He was struggling internally, he started to raise his hand to vote for Booker, the lesser of two evils, but as he forced to push his hand into the air, something physically stopped him.

"What in the world do you think you're doing!?" Triple H barked, snatching Chris's wrist.

"Ah….!" Chris gasped, snapped out of his debating thoughts.

"If you vote for him, you're just as dumb and hopeless!"

"Uh, um…. Eh." Chris stammered.

"Come on, you're coming with me!" Triple H pulled him off. "Let's get out of here."

"Whoa!" He was dragged off and Triple H forced him out of the cabin behind him.

"Oh wow, poor Chris." Booker blinked. "I can honestly say for all of us, I didn't ever see THAT coming…"

"Yup…" Everyone nodded, still stuck in shock at what had just transpired.

Meanwhile…

"Trips…" Chris half groaned in complaint, he had taken Chris up into the hills where they had been standing in the sun for what seemed like an hour. "What are we doing up here anyway, I'm tired. Let's go back, it's going to be lunch soon."

"Silence!" Triple H hissed. "That's looser talk, there's no room for weakness in this!" He raised an eyebrow and squinted as he eyed him. "And that includes stupidity, kindness, helping the enemy, poor immunities, being a pig head, going…"

"Okay, alright, enough, I get it." Chris sighed with a frown. "I'll try and be more like you."

"Well then…" Triple H smiled, closing his eyes with content. "What's the first key to victory?"

"Uh…." Chris put a finger on his chin, rolling his eyes in thought. "Visualizing your win?"

"Hmm, alright then." Triple H stuck out his lip in thought. "Imagine it's my coronation and I'm walking down the red carpet aisle to my throne."

"Got it." Chris nodded and then cleared his throat, speaking in a booming announcer's tone. "And here we have our new champion, multi crowned king of kings Triple H!" Triple H strutted proudly, taking slow majestic steps. "The crowd is going wild, yay, yay! The fans adore him by throwing flowers at his feet!"

Triple H paused to glance down at him, "Well…?"

"Oh! Uh…" Chris looked around and pulled some flowery weeds, throwing them in front of him.

"Feh, peasant…" Triple H scoffed, turning up his nose.

"Look, I don't see why you're taking the whole 'voting' thing so personally. You are very strong and could beat anybody who challenges you, including Booker. People will naturally resent your talent and ability, and the fact that you're at the top."

"True…"

"You don't have anything to worry about, you're a shoe in."

"That may be." Triple H frowned, still flattered by his compliments yet never daring to show it. "But you could be the best in the business, but if you can't connect with the fans, then you won't last."

"There are people out there that respect you, it's not about people liking you, or how many friends you have. Haven't you learned that yet?"

"I have. And just for your information, I'm not worried about the whole 'voting' thing." Triple H turned his back, but smirked over his shoulder. "I just like to make my opponent feel like they're making a difference, that they have a chance." He snickered to himself, glaring at his destiny. "That way when I crush them, it will hurt twice as much."

"Yeah, I guess…" Chris sighed, looking at the ground, wondering why he had to be the one getting dragged into this, Triple H hated him the most. Could it be that he saw potential in Chris and wanted him on his side, could he fear the future threat that Chris could become….? Nah…!

Elsewhere…

"And if elected your leader, I will smite all of you!" Booker roared down from the pinnacle.

"Oh that's a good one." Kennedy chuckled as the others laughed.

"Yeah, great Triple H impersonation!" Jamie giggled in agreement.

"I will only use my powers for good." Shane nodded.

"Well then congrats for siding on the winning team." Booker jumped down happily, wearing a paper crown and carrying a twig with leaves at the top for his scepter. "I tell you, once I become king of the camp, things will be great! I'll get rid of those counselors, Kane and Kurt Angle, Jamie for you and your support, I'll support the girls cabin so Terri and her friends won't have to go away and not come back next year."

"Thanks!" Jamie cheered with glee.

"And Shane, you shall be dubbed knight as a super hero, you'll be responsible for helping everyone with your powers and making sure justice will prevail." Booker winked. "Of course, if that's alright by you."

"Of course, certainly! I'd love to!" Shane gasped, beaming at the thought of being super.

"And last but not least, Kennedy, my best friend, having stood by my side for all this time, through the thick and thin, up and down, rich and poor, sickness and health, hell or high water…"

"Yeah, I get the point." Kennedy raised a hand to stop him.

"I will make you my second in command, my advisor, the world will be your clam, so you can cook it or shuck it or just throw it back into the ocean to live or be caught by somebody else."

"Wow, heh, thanks." Kennedy rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, when I'm king, things will be great. No rules, no responsibilities, no crime, everyone can do whatever they want, within reason of course. A carefree life of fun and no dictatorship. I won't rule with an iron fist, but a fist ready for a thumb war."

"Great speech." Kennedy gave him a thumbs up.

"Ahah, a challenger!" Booker grabbed his fist with his own. "One two three four."

"I declare a thumb war!" Kennedy bit his tongue as he and Booker wrestled until Kennedy pinned Booker. "ONE TWO THREE!"

"Hey, fast count!" Booker cried.

"I win, I'm the winner!" Kennedy pranced around, knocking over a trash can that dumped its contents into the stream. "Oh, uh oops. I'd better clean that up or…"

"Nah, forget it, don't worry. Remember, under my regime you do what you want!"

"Eh, alright then!" Kennedy shrugged. But Jamie and Shane looked at each other with a slight concern, had they picked on the wrong king? Sure Booker was kind, but he was a procrastinator and careless. Triple H was strict but also stuck to the rules, not to be cruel, but maybe to protect?

Later…

"What do you see if we had King Booker?" Chris was standing in the hills overlooking the campgrounds, the ocean crashing on the beach, the wind blowing through the trees, a blue sky with wispy clouds, animals in the bushes and crawling under ground. "Would this peace remain? Surely Booker is a nice guy, but he would rather be fair than to be just. He might think he's doing the right thing by making sure a cruel ruler like Triple H doesn't become king, but if Booker did somehow defeat him, the land would fall under chaos of no rule. Triple H is sharp, he would rule over everyone, but he does anyway. Everyone else chose to side with Booker while I, well, was forced into Triple H, but I guess looking back, did I do the right thing…" Chris sighed, closing his eyes as the gust kicked at his blonde hair.

"Hey!" Triple H roared. Chris glanced down, seeing Triple H on the ground frowning. "Stop daydreaming and get down here. We're done for today but we still have plenty of time to go and many things to do. And besides…" Triple H shuts his eyes, turning away as he folded his arms. "Weren't you complaining about being hungry? Can't have my campaign manager and trainer starve on me. We've got a contest to win and a king to crown."

"Oh, okay." Chris nodded, Triple H walked off with a snort and Chris jumped down off the rock, watching Triple H as he went. He thought to himself, 'Sure he's mean, but maybe he can be nice. He wants the power, but he's not a rule breaker. Maybe he really would be the better king…!'

"Any day now…!" Triple H barked from up ahead.

"Ah, coming, coming!" Chris cried, running after him to catch up.

"I am the only one fit to be king…" Triple H snarled to himself.

'If Booker became king, once that would happen, terrible trouble would befall us all…' Chris thought to himself as he walked behind, a thoughtful frown of worry written on his face.

If Booker could somehow manage to overthrow Triple H at the up and coming king of the camp competition, had everyone else been right, had Chris's fear of him not being a good leader and evoking chaos have been wrong? Or would Triple H prove Chris wrong, destroying everyone under his power and being a ruthless and merciless king? Only time would tell, and they didn't have a lot of time left, the preparations had already begun, the challenge would begin soon.

The king of the camp competition begins next chapter, don't miss out on the challenges the campers will face as the contest unfolds…


	22. Soccer Ball

The first day of the competition had finally arrived, and the camp couldn't be happier. They had an opening ceremony with a speech from Earl Hebner and Hillbilly Jim, Spike Dudley made an ice cream cake, and even though it mostly melted it was the thought that counted, and Farooq got the Gatorade cooler dunked on him. Needless to say, he uttered a single word… damn! Al Snow had announced the events of the contest leading up to the final king of the camp showdown in the wrestling ring between the finalists. Some of the events included a soccer competition, a talent show, and a special guest celebrity appearance, among other things. The soccer matches were first and would consist of each representative forming a team of three to compete against the others until a winner was announced. It started first because it would be the longest in duration and would continue even amid the other contests. Triple H and Booker T both had to come up with teams of three.

"We're a man short…" Triple H was pacing back and forward.

"We can find somebody else, maybe I could ask somebody." Chris Jericho shrugged the suggestion.

"But who!?" He growled, pausing in his frustration.

"Well, I'm sure Kennedy will be Booker's right hand man. So that leaves Jamie and Shane."

"Shane is easily convinced, I can mold him. Forget Jamie, he's too busy looking at Terri and the girls." He shot a glare towards Chris. "I want you to get Shane to join us!"

"What, but how?"

"Be persuasive, I know how you can get people to easily trust and confide in you." Triple H studied his fingers as he balled the up into a fist.

"But so can you." Chris frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I'm the leader, so you have to do what I say."

"Just so long as you don't make me get any shots…"

"Frankly I couldn't give a damn if you were healthy enough to live or die. Just obey me."

Chris paused, pouting a lip, "Fine…" He turned to walk off.

"Good choice." Triple H sneered. "You can play the good cop and I'll be the bad cop, just make sure you can bring that super zero to the dark side."

Meanwhile…

"I can't wait, we're going to win this soccer bout!" Ken Kennedy was punching the air victoriously.

"Yeah, nobody can beat us. Not even Triple H." Booker nodded with enthusiasm.

"Guys, where is Shane?" Jamie Noble was looking around with worry. "I've been a bit concerned lately about him, he's seemed to have lost sight on backing you for the king, Booker."

"Ah, you're probably imagining things." Booker shrugged it off meekly.

"Yeah, you're probably too busy watching Terri to even notice if Shane was standing right in front of you." Kennedy laughed.

"Yes, uh, well, um, that may be, but…" Jamie gulped, starting to blush. The duo laughed.

"We're just messing with you!" Kennedy patted his back.

"Yeah, there's no need to worry. Triple H doesn't stand a chance. Chris was forced into alliance, and Shane would never join up with them." Booker assured.

But he was wrong…

"I'm just worried that maybe I was wrong, and that Booker T really isn't the best choice for king!" Shane Helms was confiding his fears to Chris who sat across from him, nodding in thought.

"I thought at first maybe I was the one who was wrong, supporting Triple H. But I think I was right, I've been thinking a lot about it and adding up the pros and cons in comparison."

"Well, you usually are right, Chris…" Shane glanced up to see Chris grin with pride. "How about I give it a shot, if I don't like it, I back out."

"Great! That's all I ask, is that you try. We need a third man for our soccer team, and I was hoping it would be you who would join up with me."

"Really, you did? Why…?"

"Well, uh." Chris paused, rolling his eyes to think, then he smiled. "Because I knew I could trust your good judgment, and of course you have those super powers of yours."

"Ah, true, that's right of course." Shane beamed. "Alright, I'll do it." They slapped a high five. "So, what position do I play?"

"Uh…" Chris paused. That was a good question.

"What position….?" Triple H sneered, glaring down their nose at them.

"I'm just curious, I know Chris is too!" Shane cried.

"Ah!" Chris gasped.

Triple H made a long face, then sighed, "Fine. Let's deiced. Who wants to be goalie?" He turned to see Shane and Chris point at each other. He groaned, "Who has soccer experience?" They both blinked. He growled, "Alright, fine, we'll do this the hard way."

"The, hard way…?" Chris and Shane gulped, shooting each other a worried glance. And to the field they went to practice.

"Show me your drive, and the power in your kick." Triple H crouched with the ball in front of him. "AH!" He shot the ball out with a huge kick.

"Not in the face, not in the face, not in the face…" Chris repeated quietly to himself and got the ball square in the gut.

"Alright, I'll try…" Shane got the ball and started to run, he got close to the net and kicked but Chris caught it. "Aw, man…"

"No, that's good. I've decided." Triple H blew the whistle. "I'll be the kicker since I have the strength, Shane you're the driver because you can run, and Chris is the goalie because you had good defense."

"Damn…" Chris frowned, but Shane was quite pleased.

"Yeah, with the three of us aligned as one power, Booker's team won't stand a chance…." Triple H snickered proudly to himself while his two teammates watched on.

They would challenge Booker's team to the game of soccer, defeat them, and prove who the best is. The competition has finally begun, and Triple H was determined to start it off with a win. He knew Booker's idea of practice was playing and to have fun, but Triple H would train his team to fight to win. He could see them now, laughing as they romped in the field and tripped over the ball, rolling in the mud and not playing to the rules of the sport. They didn't stand a chance.

"Hey Book…" Kennedy came over to their prince, he had tripped over the ball and fallen in the mud, getting grass stains all over him, but he was still laughing. "I'm starting to wonder if maybe Jamie was onto something. Shane is gone."

"Oh don't worry, Triple H isn't a team player. If he felt threatened and stole Shane, that's a good thing, it means he's afraid."

"Oh, it does?" Kennedy blinked.

Booker shook his finger, "Don't you worry, just listen to me and I'll lead you to victory. Now help me up."

"Okay." Kennedy pulled Booker up and he ran off kicking the ball again over to Jamie who would be their goalie. Kennedy sighed, they had lost Shane, would they lose Jamie too down the road? "I have to believe in you Booker, I know you are the right one to be made king. Triple H will destroy us out of greed for power and the malice of a closed heart, but would you too destroy us out of ignorance, the preference of fun over seriousness?" He sighed, a wind kicked up over the ocean, but was it the winds of change, or the wind of something ominous yet to come? The competition had indeed just begun, so did their team even stand a chance now?


	23. Thanks For The Memories

The first bout of match ups was soon announced and the games went underway. Naturally, Triple H's team took the spot of first place, but Booker T's team was a very close second, they would've tied if not for one point that Kennedy missed. It would be a few more rounds until they met up with each other, unfortunately for them, it was during the normal games and not in the semi finals or even the finals themselves, which is what both leaders had hoped for. But still, a crushed hope is a crushed hope. Chris Jericho was the best goalie in the camp, Triple H was naturally strong and good with the ball, and Shane Helms was a quite surprising help on the field, he was pretty swift and could steal the ball or jump in to block the opposition for a save. Booker wasn't a bad player, Ken Kennedy even had his moments, but they were really relying on Jamie Noble to be a good goalie. But their hopes would be crushed due to one huge change…

"I hope we shall see that the girl's cabin can live up to the fellow boys." Al Snow was furrowing his brow with worry. "Both Earl and Jim are starting to lose interest, and with the budget problems, I think the girl's cabin is the first on the list. And the pencil is right next to the name."

"Yeah. I mean, it's only the one cabin, you really have to prove your worth or else with this lack of funding, it will surely be cut next year." Spike Dudley nodded. "You have to work extra hard, even harder than all of the other boys."

"I know." The female cabin leader sighed sadly. "But most of the girls don't even like to play sports. They don't participate in many of the activities, if not for Terri we would've been out already. But, I can't rely on her alone… I guess there isn't just room in this world for the few girls who do want to get involved."

"But all it takes it just one, one can make a difference." Al spoke up, trying to be positive.

"I know, but that one can also blow it." She turned her head away and closed her eyes as she stood up. "Well, I can't lose face in front of the girls. Hopefully we can do well in some aspect before the camp ends." As she went out the door she added, "We have only a few weeks left."

That night as everyone slept, a heavy wind began to kick up from the ocean, it whipped through the trees and blew leaves everywhere. One of the girls had left the window open a little and the candles on the dresser were still lit. The wind, rather than blowing it out, was strong enough to knock it aside and onto the flowing drapes. The flames spread quickly, licking up the cloth as the wind fueled it on.

"Ah, fire, fire!" One of the girls shrieked.

"Oh no!" Terri jumped up, screaming as she backed up and tripped on the floor. A spark shot up and flew near her face. She squealed as she waved her hands and shook her hair, leaping to her feet and taking off. "RUN!" The alarm was going off and the others were starting to wake.

"No, come back, we have to stay together!" The counselor called as she held the others close, but Terri was too freaked and had taken off running. "Terri, wait!" She sighed, she was gone.

That morning…

Chris yawned as he woke up, "Ugh, I slept horrible last night."

"I know, that fire was freaky." Shane shivered.

"At least they got it out before it spread." Kennedy pulled the covers over his head, everyone had woken up to the sound of the alarm, and Chris screaming that he smelled smoke. Everyone had helped to put it out and contained it quickly to just the one cabin.

"And at least nobody was hurt…" Booker stopped as he turned to Jamie who was still sitting up, not having slept all night after the fire, worried that Terri had run off missing into the forest.

"Come on, I'm sure Terri is fine." Shane spoke up for Booker.

"I don't know, why wouldn't she come here, to me, where it's safe?" Jamie asked sadly.

"She was scared, and probably not thinking." Chris frowned with a sigh. "Fire is scary."

"So is your breath, but you have to learn how to keep cool and use common sense, especially even in a situation like that." Triple H snorted. "Male or female, no matter."

"I'm still worried, she hasn't come back!" Jamie jumped up, the chair falling back. "What if she's lost, or hurt, or worse!"

"What's worse?" Shane shrugged.

"The D word!" Jamie cried, everyone looked at him. "You know, D!"

Everyone glanced at each other and Chris shrugged, "Dying?"

"Or dead!" Jamie ran off.

There was silence, followed by Booker throwing his shoe at Chris, "Nice going, now you freaked out lover boy!"

"Ouch…" Chris rubbed his nose.

"I guess we should go look for her too, he might need help." Kennedy got up.

"Might? I think he WILL need our help…" Booker smirked and they all walked out.

"Oh, I'd better go along and help too…" Triple H rolled his eyes as he got out of bed and followed after them.

That afternoon…

"Ah, we've searched all morning and found nothing!" Booker yelled.

"Maybe she was so cared she ran all the way to the city? Or maybe somebody found her, like that Keith guy or something…" Kennedy shrugged.

"Oh, it's hopeless… But still I can't give up hope!" Jamie growled with determination.

"Didn't he just contradict himself?" Chris whispered and Shane shrugged.

"Look, maybe she went back to camp already, you don't know. But what I do know is we have to get to practice, we have a game today unless you forgotten." Booker frowned, turning to go back.

"But I can't stop, I have to find her!" Jamie ran off.

"Just come back with us!" Kennedy groaned, sighing as he turned to his friend. Booker shook his head, waved his hand and they turned and went back to camp.

"Are they really going to stop like that?" Chris blinked, a little shocked.

"This is good for me, when you lock a door, a window opens." Triple H sneered.

"Huh?" Shane was confused.

"See, with Terri lost, Jamie won't stop or rest until he finds her. Which may be never." Triple H didn't mind that Chris and Shane had gone wide eyed with shock. "Anyway, Kennedy is down one man now, his goalie. If this keeps up, they'll be knocked out of the soccer bout!"

"Yeah, I guess if you look at it that way…" Chris swallowed hard and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Save your morality lectures, this is survival of the fittest. And that girl obviously didn't cut it, she couldn't fit the bill." Triple H ran his finger across his neck and Shane froze. "It all works out in the end, for me that is." Triple H walked off, head held high with joy and confidence.

"My super powers are telling me that this isn't right…" Shane turned to Chris.

"That's called your conscience, everybody has a heart."

"Not everybody, it doesn't look like Triple H does."

"Yeah." Chris sighed with a slight nod of agreement. "I guess you're right about that one…" He slunk down the hill after Triple H, with Shane following behind.

But back at the camp, things were going from bad to worse…

"She's gone, nobody can find her." The counselor was growling with frustration.

"But you have no place to stay as it is, if we don't find her soon, things will get even more difficult." Al was pacing back and forward.

"Guys, guys!" Spike burst out of the office. "I just got off the phone. They're sending a boat to take the girls back now!"

"What today?" Everyone gasped.

"Yeah, it'll be here late tonight. The weather permits it from leaving now until the winds die down."

"Well, that gives us some time to find her." Al mumbled.

"No, I refuse to quit! A fire is a fire, but we still are obliged to stay the full term that these kids paid for! Boy or girl, it's no matter! This isn't fair!" The female counselor exploded. "If a fire hit one of the boys, you wouldn't send them home!"

"But we can't shelter the girls in with the boys, it's against the rules. Besides, none of the girls are participating, they aren't having fun in the competition. This is a vacation to them on the beach, not a camp in the hills. I think it would be best if…"

She cut Al off, "I think it would be best to ask the girls ourselves!"

"Fine, we'll vote." Al led them to where the girls were all sitting and talking on the beach. "Girls, we have the option of sending you home early due to the fire. Now you can stay if you want, so we'll put it to a vote. What do you say?"

"I want to go home!" The girls raised their hands.

The counselor's jaw dropped, "Aren't you having fun!?"

"I mean roughing it? And now, like, a fire…?" One rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, totally no peachy vacation." Another scoffed.

"Besides, I mean whatever…" Another one shrugged.

"Totally." The last girl nodded, everyone muttered in agreement.

"But, but…!" The counselor stammered and then let out a defeated sight.

"I'm sorry Missy, but it looks like the cabin has spoken." Spike frowned, feeling her pain.

"But what about Terri, she was having fun and participating a little…!"

"She was having fun, now she's lost in the woods. If she's hurt, we could be in serious legal trouble." Al replied.

"Besides, the vote is outweighed to go home." Spike added.

"Fine, I know when I'm beaten. So I give up… sorry girls, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer." She walked off, the girls just went back to talking.

Spike turned to Al and frowned sadly, "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

"Yeah, but what else can we do?"

"I'm worried though, we still have to find Terri and so far no luck."

"I hope nothing bad has happened to her, if she isn't back by tonight, she really will be in danger."

Meanwhile…

"Terri, Terri where are you?" Jamie continued to search until he had scoured every single rock, tree and bush in the hills. "Terri! It's me Jamie. Hello, Terri come back out to me… please. Terri!?" He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he looked up at the sky getting darker, "Oh, it's hopeless… I can't do this all alone by myself. Where is she? What could've happened to her! Oh Terri, I love you. I miss you…! Why did this have to happen?" Sadly he headed back to camp. When he arrived, he saw Kennedy and Booker running towards him with the soccer ball.

"Dude, where were you?" Booker let out a somewhat relieved yet frustrated breath.

"Did you spend all this time up there?" Kennedy asked, trying to sound concerned. "Did you find anything?"

"No, I give up… that's it, I quit." Jamie shuffled towards the cabin.

"You can't quit!" Booker growled, following him.

"I can't do this…" Jamie choked as he opened the door. "I lost her, I can't find… Terri!"

"Huh?" Booker and Kennedy poked their head around each side of Jamie to see Terri huddled up on Jamie's bed, her face red from crying, her hair a tangled mess, her clothes dirty.

"Jamie!" Terri cried, jumping up and rushing to him.

"Whoa….!" Booker and Kennedy were wide eyed in shock.

"Where did you go, I was looking all over for you!" Jamie held her tightly, she clung close to him, burying her face into his clothes. Jamie looked like a strong hero in comparison, and Booker and Kennedy could only watch in a confused daze. "I was so worried!"

"I'm sorry, I was just so cared." Terri sniffed, her fearful eyes wide up at his. "When I finally realized I was lost, I headed back down to the camp, but I knew I couldn't go back to my cabin, it was gone. So I came here, looking for you. I knew only you would be there for me to help."

"Oh, Terri…" Jamie's voice cracked.

"Jamie…? What is it, what's wrong?" Terri's face became pale, she could detect something in his eyes. "Has something happened?" Jamie's eyes shook, he couldn't speak.

"Uh…" Kennedy spoke up for him. "I'm afraid due to the fire, you're cabin is being forced to go home early."

"What!?"

"Yeah, as in like… tonight." Booker nodded.

"But… no!" Terri shook her head, her wide eyes tearing up again.

"Terri, I… I'm so sorry, I didn't want for this to happen ever!" Jamie held her close, now it was he who was crying on her shoulder. "You can't leave, you can't go! What about me, what about us!?"

"Jamie…" Terri closed her eyes, biting her lip. "I, I guess it can't be helped. The universe creates our destiny, we can't fight it…"

"So what, you're just going to give up? We'll never see each other again!" Jamie was confused, his heart was breaking just hearing her tone give up.

"I'm sure this isn't the end…." Terri turned away, not believing her own words.

"But we live in different places, have different friends. We'll be going to different schools this year!"

"I know, I know, but… maybe, in a few years, when we get older, I…"

"Terri!"

"Huh?" Terri was cut off and everyone turned to see the lady counselor burst in the doorway.

"We've all been worried sick looking for you!" She rushed in.

"Why, what's going on, what happened….?" Terri froze, her face pale with fear. "Is this about leaving!?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we have to all go home tonight, the girls. Everyone out voted the choice without you."

"But I want to stay!" Terri's eyes began to tear up once again. "I want to be with Jamie!"

The counselor stared then her face softened, "So I see… this is your first summer camp love…" She sighed as she watched Jamie stroke Terri with care in his eyes while she poured out her eyes onto his shirt. "I'm sorry Terri, I tried, I tried to fight for you, and all the girls. But I guess with the lack of funds and popularity, there won't be a girls cabin again."

"No, no this is so unfair." Terri sobbed.

"I guess, this is our fate… and our destiny can't be changed. Perhaps the universe will let us meet again." Jamie said quietly. By now Triple H, Chris and Shane had arrived and were watching with Booker and Kennedy from the other side of the room, even they were sad.

"I know I wanted to give up, to show I could stay strong and not be weakened by love, but…" Terri choked. "I guess, there's always letters? We could write to each other…"

"So, you don't want to quit?" Jamie asked.

"No, not on this… not on, us."

Jamie sighed, pausing for a moment, "I guess I don't see the harm in being, long distance… friends."

"Oh Jamie, I'm so sorry…"

"Come on, the boat will be here soon, you have to get ready." The counselor finally spoke up.

"Don't forget me Jamie…" Terri slowly stepped away as she left with her. "I'll always remember you…"

Everything was quiet after that until finally Jamie broke the long pause of silence, "So, then I guess it really is over, that's it…"

"Jamie, I…" Chris started.

"Please, leave me alone…" Jamie's voice was dry and quiet with defeat.

"I, we're really sorry…" Shane spoke quietly and everyone left the room.

"Just, go away…" His face went dark as the door shut behind them, leaving him in silence.

Jamie sighed and went to go sit on his bed. He wanted to be alone, left with his thoughts. He was alone now. Perhaps this is was his fate was, to have loved and lost, would he ever love again? Would destiny let their paths cross? Were they star crossed lovers, was this not meant to be, a mistake, a lesson? If she left, which she was being forced to, what she was submitting to, they would never see each other again, would their love end with no chance of return? Was that awkward, sad moment their last meeting, their final goodbye? If it weren't for that fire, if it weren't for the lack of interest and budget cuts, if Terri had impressed on behalf of the girl's cabin in the competition, would there have been a chance? Would she have done that, go that far for the girl's, for him? Was it a freak accident, was it fate? Destiny sucked, the universe was against him… what had Jamie become, he had lost sight of who he was, had been, even of his friends and had let them down in the start of the competition. Would they even take him back? He had changed, and he didn't like the person who he had become. He was no longer Noble…


	24. Curse Of The Magnificent Melon Head

It had only been a day and a half since Terri and the girl's cabin had to leave that night on the boat. Terri had waited on the ramp until the very last moment until departure to catch one last glance at Jamie Noble to say goodbye. She knew he was hurt, and she didn't mean for it to end so badly. But so they say, all good things must come to an end. Jamie Noble had kept himself in the cabin, not eating, unable to sleep, and not interacting with his friends. Needless to say he wasn't interested in the competition anymore, it was the last chance for Terri and the girls to impress everyone and their opportunity was gone. Even though it hadn't even been two days, to Jamie it felt like a crawling and painful week. He lay on his bed staring up in a daze of thoughts wondering, why did it have to be him, how could she do this to him, why was life so unfair? He turned over on his side with a moan, his back to the door and the outside world. He wanted to be alone, he was meant to be alone and in the darkness. On his side he reached his hand under his pillow and pulled out a small box made of thin wood yet sturdy enough to withstand the weight of a head on a pillow. He opened the lid and looked inside, he stared at its contents for a while, then shut it with a sigh and shoved it out of his sight. He did this at least every hour, whatever was inside it meant a lot to him, it hurt him, and yet for some reason, he just couldn't let it go…

"Well come on, it's inside, just go up and get it." Booker T was coaxing to Ken Kennedy.

"No, Jamie's in there. I don't want to deal with that again. He's acting more depressed than Jericho."

"Hey, I resent that." The young Chris frowned.

"Please, you're all way too overreacting to this." Triple H rolled his eyes.

"Then I'll go in!" Shane Helms declared heroically. "Perhaps I can save him or help with my super powers."

"Great, fine." Everyone muttered, glancing away as Shane made his way into the cabin.

"Knock, knock!" He announced as he entered the room, looking to see Jamie facing his back towards him on his bed. "I guess you're asleep. I won't be but a minute, I have to get the soccer ball. We're all gonna practice. You wanna come join in?" No reply. "Well, I guess maybe another time then… can't say I didn't try."

"Why bother."

"Eh?" Shane stopped as he headed towards the door, Jamie had spoken up quietly.

"The way I rejected you guys, let my team down, and over a girl who ended up hurting me? I hate what I've become, I can't ever go back to who I used to be. Not after you love and lose, and the pain of hurting you as much as she hurt me, it can be too much to bear." Jamie glanced over his shoulder at Shane, his eyes glassy with sorrow. "I'm sorry, can you please ever forgive me?"

"Ah…" Shane stammered, he was frozen in shock. Usually Jamie was never this sullen or serious. "I, uh, sure I mean, um…"

"Hey what's going on, you're taking forever in here, guy!" Kennedy finally appeared, noticing Jamie's eyes as he spoke. Jamie turned away and was silent. "Well, anyway. Come on Shane."

"Hmm, alright…" Shane bit his lip but followed.

"Don't worry." Kennedy nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "You leave him to me, I can get him out of his rut."

"Alright." Shane nodded, and they joined their friends and walked off to the soccer field.

Later…

"Hey, Jamie!" Kennedy called as he entered the cabin carrying a tray. "Mr. Dudley wanted me to bring you some food since you haven't eaten in a while."

"So what, why bother, I don't care." He muttered as he folded his arms.

"Stop acting like such a baby, you're gonan get sick!" Kennedy frowned.

"Stop comparing me to Chris."

"Hey." Chris sneezed to himself. "Somebody must be talking about me.

"Must be your imagination." Triple H sneered, throwing the soccer ball at his head.

"Ouch!"

"Come on Jamie, seriously." Kennedy's face softened as he pulled over the chair and sat down next to the bed. "Talk to me man."

"Look, if you're staying here, I'm leaving." Jamie sat up.

"Now that's rude…"

"Look, why can't you all just respect the fact that I need to be alone here? None of you have ever gone through this so you don't know why I'm going through! Just forget it." Jamie jumped off the bed and stormed out the door.

"Hey wait, come on." Kennedy called and took the spoon from the bowl of soup. "It's good!" He started to eat it. "Mmm!" His eyes lit up and he went back for more. "It's really good." Once he finished Jamie's food, he let out a happy sigh and a massive burp as he stood up to stretch. "Oh well, try and try again. I'll come back later maybe after he's cooled off a bit and… ah." Kennedy's eyes sparkled as he spotted something at the corner of Jamie's pillow. "Hello, what do we have hiding here?" He pulled off the blanket and found the box. "Oh!" He smirked with glee as he opened it but it then became a look of confusion. "What is this?" He looked through it and saw some notes from Terri, a dried flower that she must've given him when they first met, and a friendship bracelet she made in arts and crafts for him on one of their dates. "Aha, so this memory box is the cause!" He glanced around with a cruel sneaky smirk and hid it under his shirt, running off snickering at how smart and crafty he was.

That afternoon…

"Stupid Kennedy, why does he always have to meddle in my business, this has nothing to do with him." Jamie grumbled with frustration as he entered the empty cabin once more. He sighed with relief as he got onto the bed. He felt around and his face lit up with worry as he scrambled through the sheets and under the pillow. With a cry of desperation he realized that his prized possession was lost, "My treasure box!" He looked around the room frantically for clues, maybe it fell off the bed, maybe it rolled under something, maybe the chair or… the chair! His eyes fixated on the chair with leftover dirty dishes. Jamie's face twisted into a furious snarl, "Kennedy…." He would use this pain of loss and anger to exact his revenge. "You will pay."

Meanwhile…

"Eww gross!" Kennedy laughed as he read the different notes. "Man, all this love stuff, really makes you queasy. I did him a favor getting rid of all this, that girl was no good for him." He continued walking up into the hills wandering aimlessly until he could hear the water coming from the river. He pulled out the dry flower, "Let me see if she really loved him, or loved him not… AH!" A wave of water crashed onto Kennedy. He sputtered and shook his head, wiping it from his eyes. "Oh darn, I better watch where I'm going…" He looked around and gasped. "Oh no, the fish, they're dead…!?" He saw about five little fish stop flopping on the ground around him from the burst of water. He froze when he realized something else, "Why, why is the water… red…?" He shivered as he lifted his hand to his face. "It's like… blood!" He screamed and ran off.

Up at the top of the hill he was near, two of the campers had dumped out a barrel of red water, "I think we went about this island punch all wrong…"

"I agree. Just because an island has fish doesn't mean the punch needs to." The second dusted his hands.

"Yeah, we should've added fruit instead…" The first one nodded back and they walked off.

Kennedy had run off screaming and had ended up getting himself lost again, "I've never been in this part of the area before, it's so dark and the soil is really soggy…" He looked around, it looked almost like a swamp. He heard a buzzing sound, "What's that…? A bee!" He whirled around to see only darkness. He sighed and laughed to himself, "Must be my imagination, heh…" He turned only to have the buzz grow louder and to see a swarm of bugs eating on the leaves of the trees. "EW, gross! Locus!" He cried and ran off again in the other direction. He tripped and stumbled over a root and fell into a low dirt hill. He waved the dust away, "Ah gross, what is this, and ant hill?" He began to itch. "Ah, no it's lice!" He jumped up and down, brushing at his clothes and his hair. "Nasty, oh what a day, what's next, I…" He heard a sound. "What now…?" He saw a group of frogs leap down from the trees onto him. "Toads!" He ran off as the frogs began to eat their meal of bugs like they did every day, Kennedy had stumbled on the other side of the hills where the campers didn't go. No wonder he was lost and scared. When he felt he got far enough away, he looked at his arms and felt his face, "Aw man, I've got boils in reaction from those damn bug bites." He scratched them. "Ouch, they hurt!" He sighed, "Oh well, at least I got through the worst of it…" He heard an animal growl. "I spoke to soon!" He took off. "Ah, a cave, I can hide in their!" He dove into the darkness. "Oh man, I wish I weren't so afraid of the dark…" He whimpered. The growl grew louder, echoing on the walls. "I don't wanna die! Monster! A beast!" He screamed and took off running. Out of the cave came a mother fox and her tussling cubs, growling playfully as she happily watched them wrestle. He panted as he ran up the hill, counting on his fingers, "I know this, these are like the ten plagues in the Bible! There was the river of blood, the dead fish, bugs, frogs, the beasts, boils, locus, and the darkness that surrounds this place!" He stopped to rest. "What's next, what am I missing? Why is this happening to me!" Just then flames shot up in the air followed by a loud howl of freezing air. "Fire and ice are hailing down on me!" Kennedy jumped up and ran off screaming again. He ran off too soon yet again, as this was another human cause.

"And that's how you put out a fire." A counselor was telling some of the campers, he had lit some loose branches and bushes on fire and had a fire extinguisher with him. "Ok, got it?"

"Yes…" They nodded.

"So, that's the ten plagues then…" Kennedy counted again on his fingers, he had jumped up a tree to hide in the leaves. "That just leaves the death of the first born one…" He gasped. "Oh no, Triple H is in danger! The king will die!"

"ACHOO!" Triple H sneezed.

"Gezuntide." Shane looked up from playing with the ball.

"Damn you Chris, you gave me your cold!" Triple H yowled. "I knew I should've had you vaccinated!"

"Hey…" Chris frowned. "I tell you, somebody's just talking about us, that's all…!"

"Oh man, this is my fault, it all started because I took Jamie's treasure box!" He gasped. "Wait, maybe if I put it back, God will forgive me and the punishment will end before Triple H is killed!" He jumped down and took off running. "I have to hurry, the sun will set soon and I'm lost far from the camp! Oh, hang on Trips, I'm coming!"

Early that evening…

"I'm sure it will turn up." Booker was comforting Jamie, who was back in his fetal position on the bed.

"I don't know why Kennedy would do that to me."

"I haven't seen him, nobody can find him." Shane spoke up.

"Oh, why did it have to come to this…?" Jamie shut his eyes sadly.

"Kennedy will be fine, don't worry." Chris said quietly.

"I mean my box, screw Ken!" Jamie roared. Triple H just frowned down at him.

"Jamie….! Jamie…!"

"Huh, what's that, whose there?" Jamie sat up and gasped. "That voice… its!" They all went to the door to see Kennedy sauntering towards them.

"Hey!" He waved.

"Dude, where were you? You look a mess!" Chris gasped.

"I've been through hell and back with this thing, literally." Kennedy held up the box.

"So you did take it! Why would you do that?" Booker asked, a bit shocked.

"Guys, if you mind…" Jamie took a step forward, standing tall in front of the line of friends. "I would like to be alone with Kennedy if that's alright."

"Sure." Shane nodded. "Come on, its dinner time guys."

"Too bad we're missing on the dinner entertainment thought." Triple H scoffed as they walked off to the cafeteria.

Kennedy sighed, smirking with humiliation, "Look, I know what you're going to say, and I'm sorry, I was worried and had no excuse, but…"

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT!"

"Huh!" Kennedy gasped, nearly falling backwards as Jamie yelled at him.

"YOU IDIOT, YOU CARELESS FOOL! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MESS IN MY AFFAIRS! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE WORRIED, OR SCARED, YOU'RE JUST NOSEY! THIS IS MY BUSINESS AND MY LIFE, I'M IN ENOUGH PAIN AS IT IS AND I DON'T NEED ANY ADDED MISERY FROM YOU!"

"Whoa, calm down man…!" Kennedy stammered.

Jamie snorted and turned his back, "I'm sorry, I can't help how I feel."

"I…" Kennedy couldn't speak, he stared at the ground. "I'm sorry I messed with you, I…"

"I know. You didn't mean it. That's just who you are, you don't think sometimes, but you have a kind heart. In your own mind you were just worried and wanted to help. But still." Jamie glanced over his shoulder, a slight twinkle of a smile returning to his eyes. "I guess you can't help being a melon head."

"Melon head! Hey, I resent that…!" Kennedy pretended to yell angrily, laughter hinting in his voice. At that moment, a half empty watermelon rind landed on his head. Jamie Noble burst out laughing, it had been so long to see him so happy that they had all forgotten what his laughter had sounded like, sadly enough even himself. "Hey, it's not funny!" Kennedy said in an echoed voice.

"Wow, it looks like you have been through a lot today." Jamie helped Kennedy up and took the rind of his friend's head.

"Yeah, you have no idea." Kennedy sighed. "Here, I'm sorry, I'm giving this back. Hurry, before a bee hive lands on me!" Jamie took it back and sighed, looking at it in his hand, he turned and took a step inside, dropping it in the trash. Kennedy gasped, "Hey, what are you…!" After all that he went through after taking it and giving it back, it ends up in the trash!?

"I learned something from you." He turned back to face his friend, smiling with wisdom. "I have to let this go. Moping around feeling bad for myself won't change the fact that I fell for Terri and in return let her change me into something else I'm not. I hurt you all enough, and even if she won't heal my wounds, I will make it up for you. Because you're all my friends, and no girl should ever come between us. I'm sorry I had to learn that the hard way and I hope you can all forgive me."

"Ha! Of course we can!" Kennedy gave him a noogie. "What's done is done, it's all in the past. I'll take your advice and let's just move on. So are we square?"

"Even Steven!"

"Then let's eat!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry too." Jamie chuckled and they walked off. "So hey, what explains that melon back there?"

"Oh you do NOT want to know…" Kennedy grumbled with a slight shiver.

On the other side of the cabin, the two campers from earlier were making a real island punch, this time putting fruit in it, one turned to the other, "Did you see how high I threw that water melon rind?"

"Yeah, it didn't come back, I hope it didn't land on somebody."

"That'd be funny though, if it did!" The first one joked and they laughed as they took the punch bowl into the cafeteria for dinner.


	25. Jamie's Makeover

As the soccer tournament began, the teams were finally allowed a day of rest between games and practice. Of course Triple H didn't know the meaning of the word rest, and made Chris Jericho and Shane Helms continue to practice even on their day off. It was warm in the summer and they worked so hard that Chris even passed out from heat exhaustion. But now it was back to work and practice for the game later that day. The qualifying rounds were nearing. It was lunchtime and Jamie Noble was one of the first kids to go to the cafeteria. He sat at the empty table, waiting for the others to arrive, staring down at his food. He'd had enough food for thought though, all he had been doing since the incident with Terri and the cabin fire is thinking. Thinking about her, about himself, how she had changed him into something he didn't want to become. He wanted to forgive his friends again and again and be thankful how good and understanding they were to stick with him and put up with his crush. He had been ashamed over what he had become, the change in him over Terri and the thought he could lose the friendship of his true friends, straying away from all of them all for a girl who didn't feel the same way as he'd hoped. That's when it hit him. If Terri could change him, why couldn't he change himself? He couldn't go back to who he was in the past, but maybe his friends could improve him for the future.

"Hey, sorry to be tardy to the party!" Booker T sat down across from Jamie.

"The line took forever, they ran out of drinks quick so we had to wait." Ken Kennedy slid next to Booker.

"Guys, I've been thinking, and I've figured something out." Jamie spoke up sternly.

"Yeah, what is it?" Kennedy asked as he started eating.

"About this whole Terri thing, she changed me into something I didn't want, maybe you, my friends, can change me into something I would want! Like maybe I could be something else for the new upcoming school year, a new Jamie Noble. You know what I mean?"

Booker stared at him, then pounded on the table, "That's a great idea!"

"Yeah…?" Jamie stammered, the loud thud having confused and startled him.

"I agree." Kennedy nodded happily. "I can't wait!"

"Ah, this is great." Jamie sighed with a smile of relief.

Booker took a few bites and had a long drink, "Alright then, let's do it, let's go."

"Whoa, what now?" Jamie dropped his fork.

"Yeah, this is awesome, let's get started!" Booker jumped up.

"Yeah, I'm in, let's do it!" Kennedy pulled Jamie up.

"Hey, wait slow down, what about our lunch…!" Jamie cried as they dragged him away.

A few minutes later Chris arrived carrying his tray and looked around, sitting down in front of the trays of lunch, "Where did our friends go?"

"Who cares, they left their food!" Triple H sneered. "Eat it."

"What, but it has germs!" Chris protested.

"You prudish weakling, you need your strength after that fever episode, I won't lose!" Triple H picked up one of the bottles of water and forced it down Chris's throat, gagging and choking him. "Come on, munch, munch!"

Shane sat down quietly and remarked meekly, "I think you might be killing him."

"Well, what doesn't hurt him."

"But I think it is."

Meanwhile...

"Guys, what are you doing…?" Jamie was sitting in the chair back in the cabin, Kennedy and Booker were rummaging through the drawers in the cabinet.

"Here's a mirror." Kennedy set it down propped against the wall.

Jamie looked at his reflection and noticed they were tossing some of Terri's old hair and makeup accessories on the table, "You guys aren't going to give me a female makeover are you?"

"Aw, spoil my fun…" Booker snickered. "Nah, don't worry, you have to trust us." He picked up the brush and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, we're your friends." Kennedy got over Jamie's other shoulder, holding a lip liner in his hand as he faced Jamie face forward into the mirror.

"A… alright, I trust you, friends." Jamie swallowed and they turned him around so that he couldn't see his reflection.

"Now take off those clothes!" Kennedy cried.

"What!" Jamie sputtered.

"Fashion makeover!" Booker laughed evilly.

"No, stop, ah, help me!" Jamie's cries were all in vain.

Later…

"Good work Chris, you haven't let a goal get passed you in days. I think we've really got a good goalie here." Triple H nodded at his progress, a rare thing coming from him, praise.

"It's probably from playing hockey, my dad taught me a lot." Chris remarked.

"Oh, my dad taught me hockey…" Triple H mocked him, a more likely comment from the bully. "You too Shane, you're good at stealing the ball, I think you've got something there."

"Stealing!" Shane gasped. "I can't steal, I'm a super hero!"

"It's just a saying…" Triple H frowned, all too sick of the superpowers thing. "Whatever…"

"We've just got a good king, that's all." Chris spoke up, trying to please their leader, and a happy Triple H was the best Triple H. "We're only winning because of you."

"Damn right." Triple H scoffed, wearing a proud smile. "I will be the king yet, Booker doesn't stand a chance. His team isn't any good, their goalie is awful, and Kennedy and Booker play around more than play the game." He paused. "Yeah, play the game. It's time to play the game, and I AM the game, heh…" He had gone off into a random tangent of complimenting himself.

"I think we have 15 minutes to rest now, he usually can take a while with this." Chris whispered to Shane, and they both sat down.

Back with Jamie…

"I think we finally have it." Booker was messing with Jamie's hair.

"Ouch, stop it!"

"Yeah, this is good, I like this one." Kennedy was forcing a jacket on Jamie.

"Cut it out, hey!

"Stop squirming!" Booker frowned.

"Yeah, we're almost done." Kennedy pouted.

"But you're hurting me, don't rough house my body like I'm some kinda dress up doll!"

"Will you quit your complaining?" Booker rolled his eyes.

"No!"

"We're just trying to help you, and besides…" Kennedy whirled the chair around so Jamie faced the mirror.

"We're done!" Booker announced.

"Ah, whoa….!" Jamie gasped in shock.

"Tada!" Booker and Kennedy applauded themselves.

"Wow…!" Jamie stood up and took a look at himself. Usually, Jamie would wear tattered jean shorts, a faded black shirt, dirty shoes, and a blue vest that had a hole on one side where the pocket had been. Now he was wearing nice comfortable sneakers, blue jeans, a dark silver shirt with the Motorhead logo on it, and a black vest where unlike his old one, it had long baggy sleeves. He had a thin chain around his neck that matched the one hanging out of his pants pocket. His usual short brown hair was brushed wild and a little spiky, it even looked a little darker. "Guys, I'm amazed, this is awesome! It's plain, but simple, it's a whole new me!" Kennedy and Booker nodded, pleased, as they basked in his praise of glory.

"Now looking like new is one thing, but you have to have a personality to go along with it." Booker spoke up.

"Wait, what?" Jamie's smile faded.

"You walk the walk, now you gotta talk the talk." Kennedy replied.

"But, what do you mean, I don't get it, how…!" Jamie took a step back.

"Don't worry, trust us." Booker put a dark pair of glasses on Jamie's face. "You've already changed on your own after the whole Terri thing."

"Yeah, now we just gotta put this in the right direction." Kennedy put an off white visor on Jamie's head. "We know what we're doing, you're gonna be a hit."

"Yeah, or get hit…" Jamie gulped as they forced him out the door.

But while the trio was wasting all day playing dress up and make over…

"Where is Booker T's team?" Al Snow asked.

"I haven't seen them all day." Spike Dudley looked around one last time.

"Well we can't wait anymore, they know the rules, no show, no go." Al crossed them off the list. "Team Booker forfeits, they are out of the competition." Everyone gasped.

Farooq had his own response, "Damn!"

"This is great, they lose by default, they're out!" Triple H laughed with success in his tone.

"Oh no, I wonder what happened?" Shane asked Chris with worry.

And so what of the three friends…

"You usually are very polite, timid and quiet. That's all and fine for a little kid, but we're going to a new school and will have to fit in with new and older people. You can't be the little guy anymore, they're bigger than you." Booker was saying.

"You need to act like you don't care what people thing, you do what you want to do." Kennedy folded his arms and frowned, trying to act stern and careless.

"Well if I can do what I want, then what if I don't want to be mean or disrespectful." Jamie raised his hand quietly, the glasses starting to slip down his nose.

"Act, act!" Kennedy pushed him back into a tough guy pose, fixing his shades.

"I don't know…"

"Come on." Booker smiled encouragingly. "You can't let people walk over you like they did with Terri." Jamie gasped, freezing at the thought. "You remember how she made you feel, how she changed you?"

"Well if you don't learn to change for the better and stand up for yourself, all your life and in the new school with new people, they're going to walk over you and change you again against your will! Now do you want that? Does the new Jamie Noble want that?"

Jamie frowned angrily, "No! I won't let that happen again…"

"I think he'll be just fine." Booker nodded to Kennedy with a wink of victory.

That night…

"It's dinner, where are they now?" Chris was at the table again waiting to eat.

"Who knows." Triple H shrugged it off, taking a bite of his meal.

"Well I'm getting worried to, they left without lunch and I haven't seen them all day." Shane replied.

"Not to mention they didn't show up for their game and were eliminated." Chris added.

"Survival of the fittest." Triple H said carelessly as he took a drink.

"Hey guys, sorry to be late!" Kennedy sat down across from the three.

"What did we miss, anything good?" Booker slid in next to him.

"Ah, what happened, where have you been?" Shane cried.

"Whoa, calm down." Kennedy chuckled. "We have a surprise for you."

"Huh, a what?" Chris blinked, the other two sharing his surprise.

"Presenting, the new and improved… Jamie Noble!" Booker did a drum roll as Jamie appeared and sat down between them with his lunch.

"Jamie…?" Shane and Chris were dumbfounded, Shane was wide eyed and Chris's jaw hit the floor.

"Hey, what's up guys." Jamie nodded smugly.

"Uh…" Shane and Chris looked at each other. So did Booker and Kennedy, they shot each other a sly grin. But the moment was broken by a sputtering sound that turned into hard laughter.

"Whoa man, oh my gosh, ah, you're killing me!" Triple H was rolling in his seat, he put his hand over his face. "This is too much, ah classic man, wow!" He wiped a tear.

"What…" Jamie asked quietly, trying to still sound tough and careless.

"You couldn't pull that off to save your life! This is rich, to think you could try and be something you're not! You can't change yourself man, the people around you change you!" Triple H was busting up.

"Yeah, I see, I guess you're right… I suppose." Jamie muttered, staring down, broken. Booker and Kennedy frowned at each other, they had failed.

"Dude, I'm sorry…" Chris frowned with sympathy.

"Yeah, so am I…" Jamie got up and walked off without eating for the second time that day.

"Ah Jamie wait, come back!" Shane stood up to go after him.

"No, let him go, he needs to learn." Triple H had gone back to dinner.

"But you didn't have to do it the hard way." Chris frowned sternly.

"Life isn't soft and easy, it can be a bitch, and then you die…"

"Hey, it doesn't have to be that way." Shane cried back.

"Yeah, it is." Triple H glared at Booker and Kennedy. "You die, just like your team did today in the soccer game that you didn't play."

"Huh!" They froze.

"What, wait we had a game today?" Kennedy gasped.

"Did you know about this?" Booker stammered to his friend.

"No!"

"Oh well, too bad so sad. You wasted your time on Jamie and gave up a soccer victory." Triple H snickered, wearing a cruel, cold sneer. "No matter, I'm going to win this competition anyway. I was only looking forward to kicking your guys asses. I'll be a good king, prince Booker couldn't even remember a day they played soccer. Not to mention he spent the whole day goofing off and ruining one of his own friends."

"Ah…!" Booker gasped and frowned, realizing that he was right.

"Don't listen to him T, come on." Kennedy stood up and led his sullen leader away.

"Man, look at all this food…" Chris frowned, realizing that Booker and Kennedy hadn't eaten for the second time that day too.

"You know what that means don't you…? Ahem." Triple H held up a fork at Chris.

"Oh, I feel sick…" Chris put a hand on his stomach.

"So then eat." Triple H frowned, Chris just groaned.

Back at the cabin…

Jamie had changed back into his old outfit and was fixing his hair back to normal, "I was such a fool to believe..."

"Jamie!" Booker and Kennedy ran in.

"Just stop it right there, okay. Forget it!" Jamie turned around. Kennedy and Booker froze, they felt terrible but were only trying to help. Jamie sighed, realizing he shouldn't be hard on them for their kindness and continued friendship, "I know you guys went through a lot, but it's like Triple H says, you can't force change. People change no matter way, all you can do is learn from the past and make for a better future."

"Uh…" The duo didn't know what to say this time to comfort him.

"I appreciate what you tried to do, but, I liked who I was. I guess one thing we can't change is our own fate, so I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride, cross those bridges when they come. You can't prepare for something when you don't know what will happen."

"Yeah, I know, but, still, we're sorry…" Kennedy bowed his head.

"We just wanted to help, but I guess you're right. I'm sorry." Booker nodded solemnly.

"No biggie." Jamie smiled back warmly. "I'm lucky to have friends like you. I'm just sorry we lost the competition because of me."

"Hey, if I could go back and play the game instead of helping you, I still wouldn't. I don't care about some stupid soccer match, Triple H can win it or lose for all I care. I'll still beat him." Booker wore a strong grin.

"Yeah, you should know us all better than that. We're friends! Even Chris and Shane, hell even Triple H. And none of us would ever change THAT for the world." Kennedy winked.

"Ah." Jamie sighed with emotion filling him. "I'm sorry guys, thank you, for everything."

"Hey, that's what friends do!" Kennedy patted his back.

"What are friends for?" Booker patted his back too.

"Ugh…" Chris slouched in, feeling sick after eating four dinners.

"Wow, you alright?" Jamie asked.

"He's a little sick, so we're putting him to bed early." Shane helped Chris get in bed to sleep. "Come on Jamie, you should eat something, I'll bet you guys are hungry after today."

"Are we ever, come on!" Jamie ran off after Shane. He came back to the door, "You guys coming?"

"Don't wait up, we're coming after." Kennedy waved.

"Yeah, be right there." Booker made sure they had gone, then he turned to Kennedy as they wore the same devilish smirk, noticing Chris had passed out. They picked up Terri's old makeup and hair products and snickered to each other. I guess some things in friends you can't ever change. But who would want to do that anyway...? What are friends for!


	26. Happy Hurricane

This week held something very special for one of the campers, it was his birthday and Shane Helms was very excited. Would his friends remember? Last year there was a really bad storm so they couldn't do anything, but this time the day was clear and perfect. He was so happy, he couldn't wait, he just wondered what they would do at the camp for his birthday this year.

"This will be so much fun, not like last year." Shane was bubbling to himself. "I wonder what they'll do for me." He suddenly gasped. "Wait, what if they don't remember!" He bit his lip, worrying. "No, it's not like them, they're my friends… wait, no it is like them." He groaned with a sad frown, flopping down on his bed. "Wait a sec!" His eyes lit up as he sat up quickly. "Maybe I can see what they're planning! I can use my super powers to hypnotize them like I did with Kurt Angle and Kane, but I'll ask them if they remember and tell them what to do! This will be a great party, no, the perfect party."

Meanwhile…

"Hey you guys remember Shane's birthday is tomorrow right?" Ken Kennedy was asking.

"Of course I do!" Chris Jericho cried back.

"Wait until he sees what we got him." Booker T grinned.

"And I made sure Spike Dudley made a little cake for him too." Jamie Noble added, he was back to his normal self now, but not without a lesson learned.

"Too bad I couldn't talk Triple H into taking part in it." Chris muttered.

"Please, this is Triple H we're talking about. Has he ever even gone to a party, no less had fun?" Kennedy chuckled.

"Yeah, and besides he's dominating in the soccer challenge, so he's probably focusing on himself. He couldn't even care that it's somebody's birthday, right now he probably wouldn't even remember his own." Booker remarked.

"True." Jamie nodded thoughtfully.

"Well I'll go talk with Al Snow and see what he has as far as decorations go so we can surprise him in the cabin." Chris walked off.

"This is going to be great." Jamie beamed, they were just as excited as Shane was. "Since last year we didn't get to do anything for him and he's the only one of us with a summer birthday we can celebrate here together."

"How old is he anyway?" Kennedy asked.

"Who knows, does it really matter?" Booker shrugged.

"I guess not." Kennedy turned back to Jamie. "Well come on, we only have a day and no time to lose. Let's get cracking!"

Elsewhere…

"Chris that's so sweet of you kids, am I invited?" Al was asking.

"Sure you are!" Chris gasped. "So will you help us out?"

"Of course! I'll open the shed for you and see what festive things we have for a party. Farooq has the key, come with me and I'll go get it."

"Okay." Chris followed after Al.

Kane poked his head out from behind the supply shed, "A party, sounds like fun."

"Party crashing sounds even more fun." Kurt Angle poked his head out the other side as they made their way to the door.

"How will we get in?" Kane looked up at the locked structure.

Kurt smirked slyly to himself, "Hey Kane, remember when your fries went missing at lunch when we snuck off to the McDonalds in Avalon?"

"Yeah." Kane frowned angrily. "I know somebody took them."

"They were hidden in there, I saw it."

Kane's eyes flashed with a furious fire, "AH!" He broke down the door, fuming and breathing hard with rage as he looked around. "Where, where is it!"

Kurt stepped over the door gingerly, "Huh, maybe they ate them after all then, they must've seen me. Sorry big guy." Kane just frothed and growled angrily as Kurt looked around. "So many holiday and special supplies in here. Aha, here we are, pretty birthday decor."

"Let's burn it!" Kane roared.

Kurt smirked smugly, "Somehow I knew you were going to say that…"

Later...

"DAMN!"

"Ah…" Al and Chris cringed slightly at the slightly louder than normal outburst.

"That's a great idea, can I come too?" Farooq's face lit up with a happy grin.

"Of course you can, why does everyone keep asking me that?" Chris frowned nervously.

"We need the key though so we can get into the supply room and look for birthday decorations." Al added. "It's a special occasion, the only other person in the camp this year with a June or July birthday was one of the girls, and well, they're gone now."

"Let's go then!" Farooq jumped up, crunching a soda can against his head as he leapt over his desk and raced out the door.

Al glanced at Chris who wore a slightly nervous face, "Don't worry, he hasn't had his coffee today, so he's acting a little bit strange."

"A little…?" Chris answered in a quiet, shaking voice.

But, things weren't going as planned…

"Burn baby burn!" Kurt was chanting as Kane waved a lighter back and forward. "Man we sure are deranged aren't we?"

"And bored…" Kane muttered.

And so, as a result…

"AH!" Chris cried in shock as Al and Farooq opened the door to reveal holiday decorations, but nothing festive and special for a birthday party.

"Where are they, I know they were in here!" Al gasped.

Needless to say, Farooq had only one word to express himself at a time like this, "DAMN!"

"Oh what are we going to do, can we have just a cake and present for Shane, will that be enough?" Chris sighed the question half to himself.

Al began to think, "Maybe one of us can go to Avalon and see if they have a little store to pick something up real quick." Al turned to his superior. "Farooq, the car keys please."

Farooq half gasped and half sputtered but reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys, Al taking them and rushing off, again Farooq had only one syllable to utter at the situation, "Damn…" Chris frowned cautiously but sighed as he stared at the ground, so far no good for a surprise birthday party for Shane. But maybe the others were having better luck…

"You wrapped it in newspapers and brown paper bags?" Kennedy frowned.

"I'd like to see you do a better job." Booker retorted.

"I think it's fine, it's just paper that will be torn up and thrown out anyway." Jamie cut in.

"Good point…" Booker muttered.

"That's not the point!" Kennedy grumbled. "Things can't get any worse."

"Uh guys…" Chris appeared sullen in the doorway.

"Oh man, what now?" Booker sighed sadly.

Kennedy frowned sternly, "It just got worse didn't it…" Chris just sighed and stared down.

"Well, we're trying, and it's the thought that counts right?" Jamie asked quietly, but got silence as a reply from the disappointed group.

"Hello all!" Shane burst in. "You all look like such happy people!" Shane obviously wasn't paying attention, the only happy one in the room was himself.

"Hey Shane." Chris tried to wear his best convincing smile. "How goes it?"

"Oh, not bad, not bad." He looked around trying to play it cool. "So what are you guys up to, anything fun?"

"No, not really." Booker shrugged, glancing around the room.

"We got nothing planned now that we're not in the soccer game anymore." Kennedy added convincingly.

"What about you Shane, did you have something in mind, cause we're open." Jamie spoke up.

"I'm glad you asked." Shane walked to the back of the room slowly, making sure the others were all carefully watching him. He turned around, his voice waving as he stood in a pose, holding his arms out and up slightly as he gave them all a strange stare, "I am the great Hurricane, with my power I shall put a spell on you, control you, and you will do as I please." Everyone froze, not sure what he was doing, but Shane was exactly sure what he was doing. He stood up, his voice trying to sound powerful, "Speak, are you under my command?"

"Yes master." They all spoke in a daze, standing like zombies.

"Excellent." He nodded smugly, then turned around as he gleefully giggled to himself. "I did it, it works. I have super powers after all! I can control people, make evil do good, force criminals to turn themselves in! Justice will be served." Everyone looked at each other and winked, they were just playing along. They all returned to their possessed state by the time Shane had regained his composure and turned around. "Alright then, a test." He began to think, eyeing them carefully. "Chris!"

Chris jolted slightly at the loud tone of his voice but played it cool, "Yes sir…"

"I want you to hop on one foot, pat your head and rub your stomach, all at the same time." Shane smirked, an impossible task to prove that his men were truly under the spell.

Chris swallowed hard and the others glanced slightly out of the corner of their eyes to see him sweating, "As you command sir." He nodded, remaining firm and keeping up the act. Chris was smart and talented, maybe if he was also lucky, he could pull it off. He started to hop on one leg, then at the same time patted his head with the same beat, then once he got that down for a few seconds he rubbed his stomach. When he felt he was getting tired from the strain and loose the motion, he stopped and swallowed hard to catch his breath. "Are you pleased, master?"

"Yes, and impressed! I could never do that, thank you Chris." Shane grinned happily. Chris let out a silent sigh of relief as he closed his eyes in a long blink. "Well, enough of that, let's get down to business."

"What do you wish for us to do master?" Jamie asked.

"A good question, thank you for asking, ah it's as if you read my mind." Shane began to pace in thought. "Oh, I know." He faced them with his arms behind his back like a drill sergeant. "It would seem that tomorrow is a very special day for me, certainly so, for it's my birthday."

"Oh no, he thinks we've forgotten it." Kennedy whispered to Booker when Shane wasn't looking directly at them. Booker nodded slightly, now they knew what Shane's motive for this hypnotism was. "Yes, sir."

"What do you wish us to do for you, master?" Booker spoke up.

"I'm so very glad you asked." Shane turned his back on them with a chuckle to himself, the gang shot another confused glance at each other but understood to still play along for him. Shane was hoping that the others will remember his birthday, so he tries to use his 'super powers' to trick them into planning him a surprise party. "It was kind of you all to remember, but I don't want anything big and fancy with decorations from out of town." Chris let out a breath of relief. "I don't care if it's just a cake and one gift that you all bought for me together and just left in the bag without wrapping it." Booker and Kennedy and Jamie loosened up after standing so tense with worry. "All that matters is that my friends are with me to celebrate, since last year the storm didn't let us do anything fun."

"Yes." Everyone nodded with a grin.

"I'm glad to see you all are as happy as I am." Shane headed towards the door. "Well, I'll leave you now to get to work. I don't want to ruin the, eh, surprise." He chuckled and walked off.

"Ah…." Everyone nearly flopped down and let out their breath.

"Wow, what's all that about." Chris gasped for air.

"He thinks we forgot?" Jamie frowned sadly, feeling a little bit hurt.

"The thing is that he doesn't want a lot, he expects us to do what he says right?" Kennedy smirked.

"So we can do an even bigger surprise!" Booker cheered.

"Good thing for you he doesn't mind if the gift isn't wrapped." Jamie joked.

"Lucky for Chris that he didn't really want any big decorations." Kennedy added.

"And thankfully for all of us, Spike should nearly be done with the cake." Chris began to think. "I wonder now, we should hold our party until later."

"Huh?" They didn't understand.

"We'll give him some little celebration like he asked for, then he'll think it's all over and done with and then later we give him the real party. That will be a real big surprise."

"That's a great idea!" Jamie gasped happily.

"Glad you thought of it!" Booker agreed, Chris beamed with pride.

"I've got a little cake that my parents sent to me." Jamie recalled. "We can use that as the fake cake." Jamie began to dig through his things.

"This will be perfect, he'll never suspect a thing." Chris watched as Jamie found it and set it up next to the gift Booker wrapped and placed on the dresser drawer in the back. "Hey wait, since when do your parents send you cookies and brownies in care packages!" Chris's statement caused the others to glance at Jamie, who began to sweat but ignored them.

"Well so all we have to do is keep up the act and make sure to stay in character when he's around." Kennedy nodded. "We just have to make sure we keep our guard up and don't learrhhhhggg…." Kennedy dazed off, letting his words slur. The others were confused for only a split second before letting their faces dull into their zombie state, realizing that Shane must've come within range of their conversation. "Hello master."

"Thank you for a greeting." Shane beamed, too happy to not even realize he'd asked for one. He took a glance around, "So, what's going on here, what are you doing?"

"Surprise." Everyone said in a low tone of voice without any emotion.

"Oh so what's this, a surprise party, for me!? Oh you remembered my birthday after all, let's see what you have for me!" Shane bounced over to the desk and smiled to see the small cake and present. "This is more than I could've ever asked for."

"Why don't you open your gift?" Jamie asked.

"A good idea." Shane winked and picked up the bundle, opening it quickly. He gasped with delight as he unfolded the gift, "A green cape and a black mask, my two favorite colors, oh you shouldn't have!"

"And a card, sir." Chris pointed towards the envelope.

"Ah so I see." Shane opened the card, it was a Green Lantern birthday card that said 'I'll green light your way, to a Happy Birthday!' and it made him chuckle happily. "It's perfect, thank you everyone!"

"Happy birthday." They all spoke like zombies.

"Now let's have some cake, well, it's a bit small but it's the thought that counts. Would you like some?" Shane asked.

"No sir, that's all yours." Booker nodded, Kennedy had to hold his breath to prevent his stomach from growling.

"Alright, I guess zombie's don't have hunger." Shane shrugged to himself. Kennedy's heart sank, it looked delicous. After the party was over Shane decided to do one last thing. "It's been a great birthday, thank you for remembering, this was all so very thoughtful of you." The team nodded with a smile. "But the day is nearly done and it wouldn't be fair to keep you under my power for much longer. So on the count of three I will snap my fingers and release you. Okay, ready….three." Shane snapped.

Everyone groaned and wobbled a bit as they shook their heads, "Uh, eh, Shane?" Kennedy slurred groggily.

"Hey, what's going on here, what are you doing?" Booker ruffled his hair.

"Hi guys." Shane nodded, he had put away the card and gift and everything looked normal. "Nothing going on here, why don't we go outside." He figured they wouldn't remember after.

"Sounds great." Jamie grinned.

"Let's go to the beach or something, see what everyone's up to." Booker suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. Oh, but first." Kennedy elbowed Chris hard in the gut.

"AH!" He cried, keeling at the waist. "What the hell was that for?"

"Chris needs to see the nurse, he's not feeling well." Kennedy smirked, then whispered. "Go see what's up with Al and Spike, we'll keep Shane busy."

"Oh, right." Chris nodded back quietly, then groaned loudly.

"Alright, well, feel better." Shane said as he followed the rest out, thinking to himself, 'Maybe I should've let Chris have his cake and eat it too…'

"Sure thing, no biggie." Chris grumbled in pain. "Did Kennedy have to make it so real, darn him."

At the beach…

"Man what a great day." Shane stood on the sand looking up at the sun as the waves crashed gently on the rocks. "Clear ocean, clear sky, a cloud couldn't rain on my parade."

"Hey let's build a sand castle, Shane!" Jamie called. "We can make a secret hideout for your super hero headquarters." They had all changed into their trunks by now.

"That sounds like a great idea." Shane ran over and they crouched in the wet sand.

Booker smirked, "Well looks like Jamie will keep Shane plenty busy, so…"

Kennedy shot him a glance, "A challenge is it?"

"You bet." Booker nodded back.

"Oh then it's so on!" Kennedy tackled him and they began to wrestle in the water. They wrestled and built in the sand for a few hours until the sun began to go down and soon it would be time to get cleaned up for dinner. "We should get to the cafeteria."

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Booker ran off.

"Hey no fair, wait up!" Jamie called, chasing after him. Shane giggling happily all the way.

They got there and saw that Chris was one of the first already sitting down with food, "Hey guys, come on over here!" Triple H sat down next to him as he began to eat without them.

Kennedy raced over with the others behind once they had received their food, "So Chris, all is well?"

"Yup." Chris nodded happily.

"Glad to see you're feeling better." Booker winked.

"I'm starved after today, let's dig in!" Jamie lifted his fork.

"Bet I can eat quicker." Booker smirked at Kennedy, having a reason to want to finish quickly.

"That's a battle you can't win." Kennedy scoffed and they began to shovel their food.

"Guys, come on." Shane chuckled nervously, worrying that somebody would choke or poke themselves with a fork.

"Please, if you don't mind, I think I'll finish my meal elsewhere." Triple H snorted, standing up to walk off. Chris just glanced at Shane and Jamie with a shrug, Triple H wasn't in on the whole party, and everyone highly doubted that he would even remember Shane's birthday was today.

"If you guys are finished yet…" Jamie began as he saw Booker and Kennedy looking a little stuffed. "I think we should get back now."

"Aright." Shane sighed happily and stood up to stretch. "I'm beat, today's been a great day."

"Aw come on, the night is young." Chris smiled as he led the gang back to the cabin. "And besides, it's not over yet!" He leaped in the doorway and out of Shane's view.

Shane gasped, "Oh my gosh… what the hell!?"

"SURPRISE!" Al and Spike popped out as the gang all shoved in the door behind Shane.

"What's going on, what are you, huh…?" Shane stammered, utterly shocked.

"Come on it's your birthday." Chris smiled.

"Yeah, we've been planning this and couldn't wait." Booker nodded.

"What, did you think we'd forget?" Jamie shrugged.

"You're our friend, and after last year, we figured you deserved something special." Kennedy pointed at Al and Spike who held the cake.

"Al got the decorations and Spike made a cake." Chris explained. "We wanted it to be just right, a perfect birthday for you Shane."

"Ah, guys…" Shane's eyes began to tear up, getting emotional. "I dunno what to say…"

"Well I do." Chris winked and took in a deep breath as everyone began to sing.

Happy Birthday to you  
Happy Birthday to you  
Happy Birthday to Shane  
Happy Birthday to you

Everyone clapped and cheered as Shane blew out the cake, but it was Jamie who happily asked, "So what did you wish for?"

"Hey he can't tell that!" Chris gasped as he jumped to cover his friends mouth quickly.

Shane smiled as he looked around the room, surrounded by decorations and all of his good friends, he shook his head and winked as he put his arms around Booker and Kennedy, "No, you know what? I don't have to wish for anything, because it's already come true." Chris smiled proudly, standing next to Al and Spike, the plan had gone off without a hitch, and they couldn't have wished for anything better. Shane was happy, and that's how a birthday should be.


	27. The Four Turnbuckles

The final week of the talent show was nearing, there was one more big event to determine the overall winner. With the soccer competition nearly ending, of course Triple H's team was in the lead with points and was the sure fire winner. But Booker T didn't mind, because even though soccer was the longest of the events, it wasn't the most important.

"That talent show signups have finally started!" Ken Kennedy cheered as he burst into the cabin.

"It's about damn time!" Booker nearly fell off the bed as he raced over.

"So what are we going to do?" Jamie Noble asked.

"I know what I'm going to do!" Shane Helms grinned.

"Ugh, oh…." Everyone grumbled, rolling their eyes. Every year it was the same thing, he would try and do super powers and stunts and tricks.

"Well, it can't be as bad as last year when Triple H did muscling." Chris Jericho spoke up, last year Triple H had shown off his appearance and physical abilities, but when the judges started to shirk away, he beat them up, forcing them to give him the win for that part of the contest.

"Do you know what he's doing this year?" Booker asked.

Chris thought for a moment, not so much out of fear that Triple H would beat HIM up but because of the answer he knew, "Actually, it shocked me, but… he wants to try his hand at doing magic tricks." He spoke in a quiet muttering whisper. The room was silent as everyone stared at him wide eyed in shock. Once they saw that he was serious, they all burst out laughing.

"I can't believe it, I mean how childish!" Kennedy rolled with joy. "Man, he'll lose for sure."

"So then what are we going to do?" Booker repeated Jamie's earlier question.

"I don't know…" Kennedy began to think. "Maybe if we all team up, then we can win." He paused, glancing at Shane. "No offense."

"None taken." Shane shrugged, he knew if he could prove he could find his super powers, that would win no matter if Triple H participated or four others joined together on one team.

"Well, we shouldn't rush into it, we have all day to think." Chris sighed. Jamie began to whistle, the room was quiet as everyone began to think, Kennedy began to tap to Jamie's song. "Hey I know that song." Chris looked up with a timid smirk and sings the last line, "Sing it with me now just for today and maybe tomorrow the good lord will take me away."

"Hey not bad Chris, I forgot that you liked to sing." Jamie stopped to comment, Chris blushed back slightly, embarrassed to be complimented.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Kennedy stopped tapping to the beat.

"And it's a great one if I know what you mean." Booker grinned.

"Yeah." Kennedy nodded back. "Boys, we're gonna start a band!" They all gasped happily.

"Perfect!" Chris cheered, raising a fist into the air.

"But who will do what?" Jamie asked.

"Well I'll sing." Chris turned to him. "What do you think you'll do?"

"Uh, well…" Jamie paused to think for a moment. "I can whistle." The others giggled, knowing he was joking. "I kinda know guitar, just not too well... kinda hard."

"Well I know how to play guitar." Kennedy spoke up.

"And I know how to play the drums!" Booker added.

"Bass is easy enough, I can help you practice." Chris replied to Jamie.

"Great, that'd be nice, thanks." He nodded back.

"So it's decided then, I'll do my super hero stuff, Triple H has his magic, and you're all a band. You're the, uh…" Shane stopped. "Hey wait, what are you going to call yourselves?"

"I dunno." Chris glanced at the others.

"Well, there are four of us, we're guys, we're training to be wrestlers, we're kids, we're at camp…" Jamie began to list things off that they had in common.

"I don't know if us being kids at camp really has much to do with anything, but…" Kennedy sighed, trying to think.

"Guys!" Booker cried. "I got it! There are four of us in the band, we're all training to try and be wrestlers, so what in wrestling has four things?"

"Eh?" Everyone glanced at him, tilting their heads to the side.

Booker made a face, "The ring… there are four turnbuckles in each corner. We could be called The Four Turnbuckles!"

"Ah, that's a great idea!" The trio cheered.

"So it's The Hurricane versus The Four Turnbuckles." Shane smirked to himself. "This year I will find out what my super powers are, and I'll win."

"Please, are you still on that?" A low voice scoffed and everyone turned to see a cocky Triple H saunter slyly into the room, acting arrogant and nonchalant as usual. "So, what are the rest of you punks planning on doing?"

"We're a band." Jamie smiled, the others were a bit hesitant, how would he react.

"Oh, that a fact." Triple H remained un-phased and he glanced at Chris, who jerked back a bit but held his ground. Chris was the only one who knew about his magic act, would he have wanted him to tell the others? Triple H moved his eyes around the room at everyone, then snickered, "Well, try as you might, but you won't have a chance against me. I have luck on my side again this time." He sneered with a gleam in his eyes. "I've already proven my physical skills, so now I'll show what my mind can do in trickery." He stared back at Chris again with a smile on his face, "I won't need Christy here to be my 'lovely assistant' though so you can have him for your little band, my act will speak for itself, myself." He turned tail to stalk off.

Chris growled to himself, "The nerve, where does he get off! Just because my hair is the longest and I'm the youngest?" He paced with frustration.

"Don't let him get to you, you know that's just the way he is. He likes to pick on you, you're a good team together, either side by side or one on one." Kennedy replied.

"I don't care. I'm growing up now, I'm changing!" Chris barked back.

"Then why don't you cut your hair a little shorter, that way he'll have the longest hair?" Booker suggested.

Chris froze, then paused to think, "Well, I guess… I mean, my hair is pretty long. And I mean it does grow, so… yeah, why not!"

"Careful, makeovers aren't always the best solution." Jamie spoke wisely.

"Yeah, but I mean, it's just hair. Hair grows. My parents shouldn't mind…" Chris trailed off.

Booker popped up with Kennedy as they held brushes and combs and scissors, "Then let the makeover begin." They closed in on him, backing him into a corner.

"AH!" Chris cried, Shane and Jamie gasping and stepping towards the door.

'I don't need help from you of all people.' Triple H had scoffed to Chris earlier when they had been alone. 'I don't need you or anyone, soccer may be a team sport, but I'm no team player. This time I go it alone and fly solo, I have enough talent and skill as a person by myself that I can beat anybody, individual or team.'

'But what will you do?' Chris asked to him. Triple H gave him a glare and Chris hesitated, perhaps he was out of place. But Triple H just smirked back.

'Grifting is the trickery of the mind, I have an obvious physical skill and powerful talents. So to show off in other aspects, I shall try my hand at the magic craft.'

'Ah.' Chris's jaw nearly hit the floor, that was not a Triple H style answer. 'Really, are you sure?'

'What, something wrong with it?' Triple H snarled, taking a step towards him.

'No, no not at all!' Chris backed up slightly. 'It's, just...'

'Feh, good. I do as I please, I don't care what you or anyone else thinks.' Triple H nodded smugly and turned. 'You can go now, I don't care what you or the others plan to do in the talent show. Even combinde, you can't beat me.' He shot a stare quickly over his shoulder, 'Oh but don't think this changes anything in the soccer match, I still need to rely on help from you and Helms.' He turned his back on him once again. 'But that's the only time I need anybody, when I'm forced to be something I'm not. And that's a team player.' He walked off, leaving Chris alone, staring off as his leader disappeared.

"Grr, that Triple H." Chris snarled to himself as Booker and Kennedy finished his haircut, he had been so caught up in his thoughts that he forgot they were even cutting his hair. "I'll show him!"

"Yeah, show him your new hairdo that is!" Kennedy beamed as he stepped back.

"I think we are done." Booker nodded.

"Huh, what?" Chris blinked and looked around, jogged back into reality. "Already, you sure?"

"Take a look?" Kennedy smiled, pointing to the mirror behind him.

"Oh." Chris nodded and turned around to see himself. "Ah!" He moved around to get a good look and smiled. "It's awesome, you guys are great!" Booker and Kennedy beamed. Triple H's hair was long, but it was also straight and thin while Chris's had a wave to it which made it thicker. Triple H's hair fell just below the shoulders, and Chris's now just barely touched over it, he basically looked like Spanky. "This is great, it has to be almost an inch shorter than Triple H's, hah!"

"Plus now you don't look so girly." Booker added jokingly.

"Hey, say what you will, but those days are behind me now." Chris smirked. "Yeah, it's time for a new Chris with an all new attitude."

"Wait, does this sound like deja vu?" Kennedy paused.

"I'm just kidding!" Chris laughed. "I can't wait to see Triple H's face now, heh."

"Later! We've got a band to form!" Booker raised his fist into the air.

"Yeah!" Chris and Kennedy did the same.

So the gang registered themselves as the band 'The Four Turnbuckles' and were able to get instruments from Al Snow and Farooq. They had just over a week to get ready, but all they needed to do was know how to play one song. Booker practiced on the drums, Kennedy tuned his guitar, and Chris helped Jamie improve on his bass until finally they were ready.

"So, what song are we going to sing?" Jamie asked.

"I dunno…" Booker turned to Kennedy.

"Yeah, that's a good question."

Chris was quiet, holding his chin while staring down in thought, then he snapped and hopped up, "I got it, I know what song we should sing!" He glanced at Jamie. "We first had the idea of what to do for the talent show because you were humming a song, then we all started to get into it."

"Oh yeah." Jamie nodded, he'd forgotten something so minor.

"So why not do that? Why not sing 'Dream On' by Aerosmith?"

"Yeah!" Booker beamed.

"Great idea!" Kennedy nodded.

"Luckily that doesn't seem like too hard a song, especially since we all know it." Jamie added.

"So it's settled then." Chris turned around triumphantly, grabbing the microphone in hand. "The first cover single of The Four Turnbuckle's will be 'Dream On' by Aerosmith!"

Practice was just getting under way with a week left to get ready, but with the power of four, no power of a superhero or power of a grafting magician would stand to defeat them now. Of course, the only thing that would stand between themselves now, would be their selves…

"Why can't I have a drum solo!" Booker T roared.

"Hey a guitar solo is much better!" Kennedy barked back.

"Oh shut up Ken!" Jamie snapped into the fight. "Besides Book, you can barely hear the bass when you go wild!"

"Good thing too, Noble, you suck anyway!" Booker scoffed.

"Whose idea was this, it's stupid!" Chris hissed.

"I think it was you, Jericho." Kennedy growled. "You're always wrong, idiot."

"What did you say?" Chris snarled at him, the four of them glared angrily at each other.

"Come on guys, you're up next now." Al Snow called from the stage.

"Oh crap!" Chris gasped, they were all behind the curtain getting ready for their time in the talent show. "Can't you post pone us, please Al?"

"Sorry, I need an act, and I need it now." Al replied, pointing to his watch.

"Oh damn." Chris whined.

"Well I'm not going on with him." Booker turned his back.

"Me neither!" Kennedy turned his back.

"That goes double for me!" Jamie turned his back.

"Well fine then, forget about it. It's over because of you." Chris turned his back, muttering to himself. "We're a band, this is supposed to be fun. I don't know why you guys can't work together?"

"Maybe because you can't hold a note." Jamie mumbled quietly.

"What!?" Chris snapped back.

"Guy, hurry up, the act is almost over!" Al motioned with his hand.

"Ah, oh no what are we gonna do?" Kennedy gasped.

On stage, Shane Helms was dressed up as superhero The Hurricane, "And my super powers will… allow me to jump into the air, and fly!" He leapt, but nothing happened. The audience was already bored and annoyed and getting angry. "Maybe, I can run quickly and my powers will let me do a big flip!" He stepped back and took of running, dove forward but fell on his face. "OW!" Everyone sputtered laughter behind their hands. Shane held tears of pain both physical and mental back, "Be a man, be a super hero, don't cry, don't, just, don't…. WAH!" He got up and ran off, everyone busted up this time.

"Fine, I'll be the super hero here and save the day!" Booker announced, stepping up.

"You're not going on together as a band?" Al asked.

"I don't need a band, they need me, and I'll prove it." Booker scoffed, the others just rolled their eyes.

"Alright then." Al turned to the crowd. "Now I give you, the drummer Booker T!"

"Yay, alright, woohoo!" Booker appeared on stage with his drums set up as the crowd applauded. "Let's get down to it, yeah!" He began to play. Everyone just stared a little confused, he played wildly and loudly. "And now the guitar would come in, uh, and I think the bass picks up here, and…" Everyone frowned, nobody could even recognize a song, it was more like random slams and pounding. "Uh, um…." He paused and everyone began to boo. "Ah, look out, whoa now! No!" He ran off stage in defeat.

"I guess he's a real super zero." Triple H had arrived and used his chance to insult one of them as his entrance.

"Yeah, but I'll steal the show. Stand back." Jamie stood up, grabbing his bass and walking on the stage.

"Let's hear it for Jamie and his bass!" Al announced, the audience clapped a bit, still miffed with Booker.

"Uh, alright, here we go now." Jamie swallowed and began to play. The crowd watched him quietly, a bass usually is deep and low and quiet and doesn't have a lot by itself but contributes greatly to a band in any song. "This is usually a lot better, my bad." Jamie began to sweat, he tried to jazz it up by doing a solo but everyone in the crowd just grumbled out of boredom. "I'm sorry, I failed…" Jamie stopped and walked off the stage, a few pity claps were heard.

"Alright…" Al was getting a bit nervous.

"Armatures." Kennedy picked up his guitar. "Everyone knows it's the guitar that makes the band, everyone loves guitar, this show is mine." He walked off.

"Let's get things picked back up, with Kennedy on guitar!" Al called and the crowd looked up, not expecting much after the last two performances.

"Wow, tough crowd. Hope you like to rock!" He strummed the guitar and began to play, he sounded pretty good and people began to feel better about the show, but then he hit a loud and obvious wrong note. "Ooops, sorry about that, guess I needed a bit more practice." He tried again but messed up in a different spot. "Ah damnit!" He tried again only to keep messing up. "Darn!" The audience was getting tired of this and they began to stand up to leave.

"No, don't go, we'll move to our next act!" Al jumped on stage. "Sorry Ken."

"Aw." Kennedy slumped and walked off. "I dunno what happened, I'm usually not bad like that."

"I know, I messed up too." Jamie sighed.

"Maybe we got stage fright or something out there?" Booker shrugged quietly.

"Please, move aside children." Triple H approached the stage. "Let me take care of this hostile crowd."

"Ah folks, our next act will be Triple H." Al stepped back, the crowd froze, would they be beaten up again this year?

"Prepare to be amazed!" Triple H roared and everyone jumped back at his loud voice. He pulled out a table that had three large shells on it. He held a small dark pebble and put it under one. "One of you dare to try your luck?" He pointed to Farooq, who got on stage. "Keep your eye on the ball, and let's rock!" He began to mix them up quickly. "Now pick." He stopped and stepped back. Farooq rubbed his head and picked up the middle one, it was empty.

"Aw." The crowd groaned.

"Damn!" Farooq yelled.

"Nice try, but I am quicker than the eye!"

"Hey wait a sec…" Al stepped up and lifted the other two. The crowd gasped, they were both empty too.

"Wah!" Triple H gasped, foiled.

"You cheat!" Al pointed and the crowd booed.

"DAMN!" Farooq cried again.

"Alright, fine, you bested me. Now try this one on for size." He pulled out a deck of cards. "Pick a card." He held them up to face Al so he couldn't see them himself.

"Fine." Al pulled one out. But instead of showing it to Farooq and putting it back in, he poked it in Triple H's eye.

"OW, hey!" He cried, jumping back, covering his eye. He ran off stage as everyone booed him, they were so angry at the bad show that people began to leave.

"Ah, man. Well I guess you're up next Chris." Al came over to him.

"Alright." Chris sighed, picking up the microphone and going up onto the stage. There was only one person left sitting there, falling asleep. "Oh, forget it…." Chris slumped off stage.

"What's the matter Chris, aren't you going to sing?" Jamie asked.

"Why bother, I only wanted to sing because I was with you guys, in a band, together. But now I guess the dream is not only dead, but the talent show is over and nobody one." Chris muttered.

"Well at least nobody lost then." Triple H scoffed, having regained some composure.

"But we were great, we should've won. I don't know why we couldn't work together." Kennedy spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about what happened guys, I think the fight was maybe my fault." Booker replied grimly.

"No, every band argues and has differences, the great ones who make it are the ones who learn to work them out, as friends, like a family." Chris smiled.

"Yeah, you're right." Jamie nodded.

"So what do you say, forgive and forget?" Booker put his hand in the middle.

"We'll learn from our mistakes and move on bigger and better." Kennedy put his hand on his.

"Yeah, after all, that's what friends do." Jamie put his hand in.

"No, not friends." Chris put his hand on top. "Family."

Booker ran on stage first and got behind the drums, Kennedy and Jamie grabbed their instruments and got on the sides, Chris jumped in the front with his microphone. Al turned around a bit surprised, Farooq gasped in shock and the sleeping person in the audience snapped awake. Kennedy began to play the first few notes, the people nearby who had walked away heard the music and could recognize it right away, they began to head back until finally everyone had returned and the song was playing in full swing. 'Sing with me, sing for the year, sing for the laughter sing for the tear." The crowd was cheering and going wild. Backstage Shane clapped and happily with the music while Triple H just groaned, rolling his eyes as he looked away.

Chris jumped up, screaming as his band played behind him, "Dream On! Dream On! Dream On! Dream On! AH!"

"Damn!" Farooq yelled. When they finished, the crowd cheered, going nuts clapping.

"I think we have a winner!" Al raised Chris's hand as the fans rooted. "Man you guys were great, you're gonna have to make this band legit!"

"Yeah." Chris turned around to see his friends proudly relishing in victory. "But we're not a band Al." He winked happily. "We're a family."

"The Four Turnbuckles everyone!" Al called and the crowd stood up and clapped.

"They did it, they won!" Shane clapped and turned to Triple H.

"Yeah." He muttered in disappointment. "It was like magic…"


	28. Old Fools

The recognizable rifts of Aerosmith's Dream On could be heard throughout the camp for days after the talent show as makeshift band The Four Turnbuckles practiced and got better daily. They had been such a hit after winning the talent show and received such a great response from the other campers that they decided to keep the act going. The victory was attributed to Booker T because nobody else in the band were running, bringing him as a close second behind Triple H for the King of the Camp tournament. But Triple H wasn't afraid of losing in talent, because the soccer win was so obviously his. But back with the band, they would have another test, a new challenge to face, a breaking point within the ranks as one of their own would fall astray.

"Man, what a great practice!" Booker T rooted, slamming the final note on his drum set.

"I know it's good for bands to have more than one song, but I think this could be our number one hit." Jamie Noble smiled as he took his bass strap off from around his shoulder.

"Yeah, even if it a cover." Ken Kennedy added in agreement, kicking some junk food and chip wrappers from near his feet.

"Well Al Snow told me that Farooq would give us permission to play again if we kept up the good work, so if they like us already, maybe we should try to learn another song." Chris Jericho suggested after a swig of water, pouring the rest of the bottle on his head of newly cut hair.

"That'd be great, plus we could rub it in on Triple H." Booker winked.

"You may have won the talent snow, but don't forget the soccer tournament. You're not out of the woods yet, with that win, he'll take the lead." Kennedy replied.

"Speaking of which." Jamie turned to Chris. "Why aren't you practicing with Shane, you're spending more time with us lately."

"Oh." Chris wiped the droplets of water off his forehead. "Are you kidding me? Please, he's been in such a foul mood since losing in the talent show, and failing at grifting magic, if I went over there after we won in our band, he'd rip out my larynx and snap my vocal chords like a rubber band."

"That sounds as if he's fouler than ever then." Kennedy laughed.

"I'm not afraid of him." Booker scoffed.

"Well Chris's larynx may be." Jamie joked.

"Hey!"

"We're just glad, that's all. You've got a lot going for you Chris, being in our band and on his soccer team." Kennedy remarked.

"Yeah, but it's cool. I like it." Chris assured, setting the microphone stand aside.

"Well that was a good practice for today, why don't we call it a day and break." Booker stood up and stretched. "Don't wanna work too hard right?"

"Yeah, you can go see Shane." Jamie turned back to Chris.

"You really should check on the poor guy, hopefully Triple H isn't taking out his rage on the little fellow." Kennedy agreed.

"Especially since he lost in the talent show too, failing at his super powers, again." Booker added. "I kinda thought he'd grow out of this phase quicker."

"You have a point." Chris fixed his shirt and shook his hair a little bit. "Well I guess I'd better go check on him, plus Triple H can't yell at me if I practice soccer with him too. See you guys later."

"Bye!" They waved as he ran off.

"Well, what do you guys want to do for the rest of the day?" Booker asked.

"I dunno, what do you have in mind?" Kennedy turned to Jamie who just shrugged and shook his head slightly.

"Well let's just walk around then, we can see if anything's going on at the beach." Booker took the lead.

"Alright." Kennedy and Jamie followed their leader. Even though the soccer game was over, the gang still was split in two over who they thought should win the tournament, Booker or Triple H.

At the beach…

"Wow, the sun is so bright today." Kennedy shielded his eyes.

"The water must be refreshing." Jamie shuffled his shoes in the sand as he walked.

"You know, it never dawned on me, how closed to the end of camp it is." Booker sighed slightly. "I mean time has flown by so damn fast!"

"Yeah you're right." Kennedy gasped.

"Well, I guess we'd better try and make the most of our last few weeks." Jamie replied with a shrug. "I mean, with all of the budget cuts and other stuff going on lately, who knows if there will be one next year."

"Don't say that!" Booker cried, whirling around.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be like that." Kennedy assured calmly. "Besides, you won't have to worry, you'll win the tournament this year."

"Yeah, I know, but…" Booker paused, sure he was worried about the tournament, but with so many things changing as they grew and time went by, who knew what else would be different.

"Hey did you hear, did you hear!?"

"Huh?" Booker was cut out of his thoughts when he saw a boy running over to his friends who were building a sand castle not too far off.

"Spike Dudley just told me, we're having a special guest come here this week and for a surprise visit! He said it was somebody real famous and popular too!"

"Wow! I wonder who it is!?" They all gasped happily and began to chatter inaudibly amongst themselves.

"A celebrity?" Kennedy blinked, they had been just within earshot to hear.

"Hey yeah, I wonder who it is too now!" Jamie beamed.

"That's weird, I wonder if they're trying to hype the place up and get sponsors or something." Booker wondered. "Oh well, we should tell Chris, maybe the band can be a part of it."

"Good idea." Kennedy nodded. "Come on." The trio walked off, secretly inside just as giddy and hyper as the younger boys were.

"Who is it, who is it!" Shane Helms was pestering Al Snow, he had also heard about the special guest appearance.

"I can't tell you who's coming to visit." Al shook his head.

"Please! I can keep a secret, I'm a super hero." Shane replied.

Al rolled his eyes but didn't say anything, just responding, "You have to wait just like everyone else."

"Aw…" He slumped and shuffled off.

"This was a good idea." Al turned to Farooq, who nodded back. "So when is he coming?"

"Sometime tomorrow, his boat leaves in the late morning so possibly by the late afternoon."

"Great, we'd better get ready." Al nodded back.

"What, really?" Chris blinked.

"Yeah, we don't know who it is, but it's a celebrity visiting us here!" Shane was spreading the rumor, Chris was back in the cabin with Triple H, they were on their beds, Chris sat on the lower one. "Nobody knows who the special guest is."

"I guess that's why it's called a surprise." Triple H muttered quietly, lying on the top bunk. "Go figure, huh."

"Hmm." Shane shot him a grimace that he couldn't see. "Anyway, this could be big, we could have a chance at something."

"Oh maybe you can hope and dream, but I already know I'm destined for greatness. I don't need any help." Triple H scoffed, turning his back on them.

"I could really be a hero now!" Shane began to daydream.

"Well, maybe the band could do something I suppose…" Chris trailed off in thought.

"I guess you ready our minds." Jamie laughed.

"Huh? Ah!" Chris turned to the doorway as the three friends entered. "Hey."

"Yeah so I guess you all heard then." Kennedy remarked.

"Well and so long as we're all on the same page, tomorrow we should start practicing again. The band could do a song for him or something, maybe he'll like us." Booker sat on the chair in the back, already planning things out in his head.

"I just hope this little sing song of yours won't mess with your soccer game." Triple H glared down at Chris. "It's not that I need you or anything."

"Eh, trust me, have I yet to let you down with the team?" Chris smirked back.

"Not yet." Triple H emphasized the second word.

"And I won't, you know you can have faith in me. I back my word." Chris nodded smugly. "If anything people can count on me for, it's to be loyal to my friends."

Jamie made a face and spoke quietly to Shane, "Usually Chris and Triple H fight more hostile and Chris will usually back down or growl off in defeat. Doesn't it seem like they're getting along more, their arguments sound almost like ribbing to me."

"No, it's not just you." Shane whispered back. "I see it a lot more than the rest of you. They're spending more time together, I guess they're learning to put up with each other and even getting closer. I mean look at them, they almost look like friends!"

"Wow, who would've ever thought that!"

"Yeah, I mean they haven't even fought over their hair."

"I know." Jamie chuckled slightly. "And Chris was so paranoid about it, oh well."

"Yeah, people change." Shane nodded solemnly.

"Anyway, so should we sing the same song or do a different one?" Booker was asking.

"I dunno." Chris began to think, turning away from his verbal tussle with Triple H. "I think we could always try to learn a new one, but if we only have a few days, if we can't get a new one then we should just stick with our classic."

"Yeah, it'll be what we're best known for." Jamie nodded in agreement.

"And remembered as." Kennedy added.

"Alright then, it's settled. So until tomorrow!" Booker raised his fist into the air. They paused and looked around slightly, it was still a while until dinner so they all just sat down quietly. Triple H just frowned, rolled his eyes, and walked out of the room.

The next day…

Chris was talking with Kennedy and Jamie before Booker ran up, "Guys, Spike needs me for something today, I'm really sorry it just came up all of a sudden."

"What, why?" Chris asked out of curiosity.

"I'm not sure, he didn't explain, but it has something to do with the celebrity. So I'll miss practice today."

"That's alright, but to play it safe maybe we should forget about a new song." Kennedy shrugged. "People love 'Dream On' enough, they might be disappointed not to hear it."

"I suppose. Anyway, I gotta run, I just had to tell you though. Sorry!" He ran off.

"Well Chris?" Jamie turned to him. "You're the singer, without Booker you're our leader now. So what do you think we should do then?"

"Hm." Chris nodded, "This will be for the best then." He smirked at Kennedy. "So what do you say we get the show on the road?"

"I say what are we waiting for?" Kennedy grinned slyly back and strummed his guitar.

Finally the day came, Booker was able to keep up with his practice and helping Spike set up for the celebrity, and Chris was able to juggle his band and his soccer team. It was late morning and the boat was late because of long lasting fog that had stayed in the Long Beach harbor. The campers were a little crestfallen and got bored so they began to do other things. The band was all still together, waiting so they could be spotted in practice.

"So what now?" Jamie asked.

"Just stay here and wait I guess." Booker replied.

"So should we practice?" Kennedy shrugged.

"I guess so." Chris replied, but his thoughts weren't on his friends, he was looking around slowly, scanning the surrounding horizons for something, his ears were perked as if he was checking for something, but Booker didn't notice, Kennedy and Jamie just passed it off, Chris was usually very keen on his surroundings and his senses gave him great reflexes. He paused slightly, almost jerking a bit, and Kennedy and Jamie looked at him, "He's here."

"He is!?" Booker gasped, looking up after staring off in space for so long dazed.

"Are you sure?" Kennedy looked around.

"Sure I'm sure." Chris saw everyone flocking over to the dock.

"Ah, should we join them?" Jamie gasped.

"No, they have to come this way to get to the counselors cabin and stuff." Chris replied, finally turning his attention back to his friends.

"Alright, I'm ready!" Booker tapped his drumsticks, his heart racing with excitement.

"Follow my lead." Chris stood up, his feet firm as he pulled the microphone off the stand and glanced sideways at Kennedy and Jamie respectively and nodded, they nodded back.

The group turned into just the adults as they led the celebrity towards them, talking amongst themselves. At Chris's signal Kennedy picked up the guitar and started to play first. Booker paused, he didn't recognize what he was playing, but he assumed that because of all the practice he missed that perhaps they had changed the beginning of the song before the opening that everyone recognized. The guitar was quiet but the notes were different and the speed was much, much faster before slowing down then speeding up again as Jamie chimed in with the bass. Chris tapped his foot and his knee hopped slightly as he bounced to the tune, the adults were nearing.

"AH!" Booker gasped, he'd forgotten all about paying attention to the song that he didn't recognize, because he recognized something else. The celebrity, it was… "MISTER T!"

"Eh?" The band glanced up, continuing to play. Booker was in shock, Mister T was his hero, he loved the A-Team. The trio began to hesitate, but they couldn't stop now.

"Ah, uh, oh!" Booker gasped, realizing they were continuing and he was completely lost.

"Well what do we have here." Al stopped the gang.

"It's our resident camper band, The Four Turnbuckles." Spike motioned.

"Well hello there kids." Mister T nodded, they nodded back but Booker was frozen.

"Ah, oh no!" He began to get nervous, his heart racing and sweat pouring. Chris was singing, but those weren't the words to "Dream On" they weren't even words to an Aerosmith song. Booker began to try and follow the beat and improvise, he recognized the song now, but it was by Heart!

"And what are you guys playing?" Mister T asked. "Ah, I recognize that song." Booker whined, so had he, but by now it was too late, and he was looking like a fool.

Chris threw his head back as he sang the chorus, "Crazy on you. Wanna go crazy on you! Gonna go crazy, crazy on you! OH!"

"Hey, nice." Mister T clapped as did the others.

"AW!" Booker moaned sadly in defeat and humiliation.

"Looks like you need some practice, star struck little fan." Mister T glanced at Booker.

"What, no, I, no uh….!" Booker stammered nervously, Mister T cocked his head to the side, then he shot a glance at Farooq, Spike and Al, who were just as confused.

"Uh, Booker, I, we, um…" Chris turned around, he felt terrible. The whole thing was that they had decided to pull a prank on Booker and play the wrong song, throwing him off, but they hadn't realized the celebrity was his hero. "I'm sorry Booker, we…"

"AH, shut up, leave me alone!" Booker threw down his drumsticks and took off running.

"Booker wait!" Kennedy called after him but it was too late, he was already gone.

"Aw…." Jamie sighed, he felt awful. "Man guys, what did we do?"

"Hey what's going on, is he okay?" Mister T turned to Al.

"He'll be fine, don't worry." Spike replied. "Come on, let's go." They walked off, taking one last look back at the band, they looked pretty lost and silly and down right now.

Booker was running, he wasn't even watching where he was going, his eyes were full of tears of shame, 'How could they do that to me, don't they get it? He's my hero, they don't understand! They're my friend, why would they do that!' Finally he began to pant for breath so his legs slowed down until he stopped, he didn't know where he was, but he didn't notice and he didn't care, his eyes were shut to the world and his head hung down facing the ground. "I can't believe it…" A single tear fell down his face. He took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh to try and regain his composure, he was a boy, he was growing up, he couldn't cry. He finally opened his eyes and looked around, "Oh man, I'm as dumb as Chris." He grimaced slightly and looked around. "I don't know where I am, other than lost…" He frowned angrily and sat down on a rock to rest and think and get his bearings. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he rested his chin on his hands, "I still can't believe that, that they would… and they…" He shook his head. "Oh man look at me, my nerves are shot. Ugh, I can't believe that got to me!" He growled slightly, he had gone from embarrassed to upset to angered. "Mister T must think I'm the biggest ass in the world! I messed up, I ran off in defeat, and now I'm lost and crying. AH! I'm an embarrassment, I'm a failure!" He took a deep breath. "It's all their fault…. No, it's not their fault, it's mine. I can't be mad at them when I'm upset with myself." He stopped and leaned back, looking up at the sky, he needed to think, for once he had to be alone with his thoughts.

Meanwhile….

"Guys, where is he, I'm getting worried." Chris was pacing around.

"Maybe we shouldn't have done this." Kennedy grumbled.

"Uh, for the record, it was your ideas, not mine." Jamie waved his arms and shook his head. "I'm innocent here, I'm the good guy, I'm nice and timid!"

"No, hey, you played a part, so you're just as guilty." Kennedy snorted, causing Jamie to groan, they were all upset at their selves and didn't want to take it out on each other.

"It's getting late." Chris looked up at the sky, the sun was setting and the blue was getting darker. He stopped for a moment and looked up. "I have to make this right."

"Chris wait, where are you going?" Jamie cried after Chris, as he walked off.

"Maybe out to look for Booker?" Kenned shrugged, Chris was gone.

Jamie sighed and sat down behind Booker's drum set, "You know, I forget how long we've been here, how long we've all been friends together. But, just now, I realized something."

"And what's that?"

Jamie smirked slightly, "How even though Chris is the youngest, I think he grew up the fastest."

Kennedy smirked back, "Yeah, we're lucky to have him as a friend. We're lucky to have all of our friends."

"I've never taken you guys for granite." Jamie smiled with a happy sigh of relief.

Later…

"He's still not back, he's gonna miss dinner!" Chris hissed to himself, he had spent the whole time verbally attacking and beating himself up. "This is all my fault, why would I get such an idea?"

"It was a good idea, just a bad time because we didn't know the celebrity was Mister T." Kennedy replied, trying to comfort him. "Face it, it was a Booker idea."

"I know, I don't know how he gets away with it thought." Chris sighed. "If joking and pranking others makes you feel this bad?"

"Well, what did they say, anyway?" Jamie spoke up, trying to change the subject.

"If we can work things out, Al and Spike gave me the okay. Farooq just said 'damn' though, so I can only assume he's in agreement." Chris shrugged slightly.

"Well, when Booker comes back…" Kennedy turned to the open woods.

"If he does…." Jamie quietly muttered to himself sadly. Chris just sighed droopily again. Time seemed to stand still and take forever, but it was getting dark, all they could do was wait, and hope.

"Hey guys…"

"Huh?" They all jerked up and turned at the small voice. "Booker!" They all jumped and rushed over to him, their faces worried.

"Where have you been man?" Kennedy cried.

"We've been worried sick!" Jamie sighed loudly with relief.

"I'm alright, don't worry." Booker nodded. "I just need to get away and have some time alone to think, that's all." He tried to force a smile.

"Booker, we, I uh… um." Chris cleared his throat, coming up as Kennedy and Jamie stepped aside to let him through. Chris blinked quietly, looking away until finally he met Booker eye to eye, "Listen Booker, I…"

"No, wait, it's okay." Booker cut him off, shaking his head, looking back up with a more genuine smile now. "I've had a lot of time to think, I know you didn't mean it, none of us knew the celebrity was going to be Mister T."

"I know, but we know he's your hero." Kennedy added.

"Mhm." Booker nodded but continued. "But we're friends, and I forgive you for it, after all, that's what friends do, forgive and forget." The trio looked up and smiled. "But…!" Booker smiled sinfully. "I have one last thing to say."

"What?" Jamie asked.

"Whose idea WAS that anyway!" Booker spoke up loudly, Kennedy and Chris both pointed at each other, Jamie pointing in their direction as well. They all wore long blank faces, wondering what he'd do next, how he'd lash out at them, how angry he might get. But nothing happened, all Booker did was grin and break out laughing. "Oh man! That was awesome! Ah hah, great job, oh you got me good, that is perfect, that is so me!" He was busting up, but they were only staring at him in shock.

"See Chris, I told you it was a great idea, get Booker with a Booker style rib, it was perfect!" Kennedy started to laugh.

"I know, but I still feel bad though." Chris smirked sheepishly. "I'm really sorry man, I won't do it again."

"No, it's alright. But see, I realized something. I haven't joked around in a long time, but I guess I've out grown it. I'm glad you did that though, I guess I was wrong to prank you guys so much in the past before."

"I was wrong Kennedy." Jamie spoke up. "I think Booker is the one whose grown up."

"Oh hey, anyway!" Chris spoke up loudly to change the subject. "Guess what Booker!"

"What?"

"I talked to Al and Spike and Farooq and they agreed that if we can fix our act we can perform for Mister T at the celebration in honor of his visit this weekend before he goes."

"Really!?" He beamed.

"Yeah, so you know what that means? Come on!" Kennedy cheered.

"And this time, we'll play the right song." Jamie winked happily.

"Oh." Booker laughed. "No, see, I have to learn something. I need to learn to overcome my fears, you have to be a good performer in front of a crowd of people if you want to be a great wrestler. I can't just freeze up like that on stage if something goes wrong, I have to be a good actor like Chris, I have to learn to improvise. If I get lost in a song, or if somebody plays the wrong song I have to be able to improvise or catch up so I can keep up with the face of the show. I can't mess up, especially not in the face of somebody important or a hero like Mister T."

Chris nodded, "Well yeah, that's good to have, but, I probably could've been a little nicer about it."

"Nah, seeing as it was Booker you were teaching, I think you did it just the right way." Kennedy winked.

"Now come on, I'm starved and it's dinner time!" Booker ran off.

"Yeah!" Everyone laughed and chased after him.

So The Four Turnbuckles had their first break up and reunion, practiced harder and got better, because now they knew two songs and didn't have to be just a one trick pony in front of Booker's hero Mister T. So when the party began they were ready and Mister T had a front row seat. But Booker T wasn't afraid to perform in front of his idol, he had confidence and he was great in both songs, even came up with a drum solo. They got a standing ovation and Mister T loved them, he even spent some time with Booker before he left. As the boat left and moved closer to the horizon towards the setting sun, Booker T stood on the dock watching proudly, the wind kicking up in his face. He couldn't have been happier. He had overcome his fear, met his idol and won his respect. Mister T had said they had done a great job and had an exceptional drummer who he knew would be great in the world one day when he grew up. But Mister T was wrong about one thing, because Booker T was already grown up.


	29. The Boy Who Couldn't Say No

Kindness can be a hard trait to find, but in some people it's not so much an asset-able quality as it can be a personal liability. Jamie Noble may have changed throughout this summer at camp, but some things will always remain the same. Jamie is a very kind person at heart, whether he means to or not, he will always help others, look out for those in need, and be fair when even an enemy is on the ground asking for mercy, which actually doesn't come very often. But still, Jamie will always be the bigger man, perhaps it's because he's always been the little man. But the kind hearted inability to say 'no' to anyone and everybody who asks a favor of him, will only get him into trouble when all he wants to do is be the nice guy who doesn't finish last.

"Jamie, Jamie…? Hey. Jamie Noble!"

"Huh?" Jamie spun around upon hearing the unfamiliar voice calling his name, he saw somebody running towards him, but it wasn't an adult, nor a fellow camper, and finally it hit him when he recognized who it was. "Ah, Keith!"

Keith slowed to a jog as he neared and came to a panting stop before him, "Hey." He paused to catch his breath.

"So, how's it going?" Jamie smiled politely. "It's been a while since we last saw you, what've you been up to?"

"Well, we're still keeping an eye on the island, watching all of the animals in the habitat and making sure people don't get involved with anything dangerous or illegal. You know, same old same old." Keith winked, but then his face turned slightly serious. "Hey, I have a favor to ask."

"Yeah?" Jamie blinked wide eyed with confusion, Keith was good friends with Ken Kennedy and even Booker T knew him better than Jamie did, so then why would Keith chose him?

"I guess a stray dog from Avalon got loose in the forest, she was pregnant and had her puppies. We've been trying to find the mother but there's no sign of her, and I'm worried because the pups are already old enough to see and don't need the milk, but they can't survive with wild animals in a dark territory all lost and alone and confused."

"Oh, how sad!" Jamie gasped, frowning sadly.

"Well, the island has a very small population and no pound, if I go to the authorities they'll probably not find homes for them and will want to get rid of them. I don't think that's fair." Keith's eyes shook darkly, his voice was in a low tone and quiet in the dry thought.

"You're so dedicated to your work, you must really love animals." Jamie replied.

"Yeah." Keith chuckled a bit, nodding. "You're the only camp left on the island that's still in session, so until I can go anywhere else, I need to keep them someplace safe where they can have an eye kept on them."

"Oh!" Jamie paused. "Well, why not ask adults, like Farooq or Spike Dudley or Al Snow?"

"Come on." Keith smirked slightly. "Spike is a cook, he works constantly, Al is the counselor and he's practically a babysitter to all of you campers. And as for Farooq, well, I think you know what his response would be." Jamie held back laughter, after all Keith was right. Keith let out a sigh, "I know Booker and Kennedy mean well, but they don't have the maturity level to care for another living thing, no less more than one. Triple H, that's a huge no! Shane Helms would try to make them into flying super puppies, and Chris Jericho is a nice guy and all, but he's the youngest, and I know he'd do his best but I don't think I could come to anyone else but you."

"I see." Jamie bit his lip, after listening to Keith's explanation, he realized how much though and how long he had debated on this. "Yeah, you've got a point, you're right… I'd like to help, but."

"Don't worry!" Keith spoke loudly, quick to put Jamie's worries to rest. "It's only temporary, a few days tops! I'm getting really close, but we're shorthanded right now and I've got a lot of other things I have to worry about, I can't monitor some puppies. That's why I need you to help me on this, please." Keith put his hands together, he was desperate. "I don't mean to burden you, but I'm out of options now and I've got no choice."

Jamie was silent for a bit, he didn't know what to do or to say, Keith needed help and he was the only one who he could turn to after all, but he was a kid, how could he watch all of these puppies and keep it a secret at the camp, but he swallowed all of that away, he knew what he had to do, so he said what he always did, "Okay, I'll help you."

"Really, you will, seriously!?" Keith's eyes lit up, color seeming to return to his stressed face as a smile drew across it.

"Yes." Jamie nodded.

"Oh man, thank you so much, you're a lifesaver, you have no idea how much this means to me!" Keith shook Jamie's hand violently and firmly, his eyes glistening with gratitude.

"Sure it's alright, don't mention it." Jamie replied timidly, starting to feel a bit embarrassed.

"I'll bring them this afternoon, they usually sleep all night, so hopefully you won't have to worry about them until tomorrow. And I have some puppy chow I'll give you so you don't have to worry about food." Keith rambled, he seemed like his old self now without dwelling on the puppies. "I'll always remember this, thank you." He took off, waving. "I'll be back at sunset."

"O…kay…" Jamie waved back slightly, he felt something heavy in his stomach, it was called responsibility. "Oh man, what did I get myself into this time? I haven't even had breakfast yet."

Later…

"So what are you going to do today?" Kennedy was asking Booker T after lunch.

"I dunno, I have nothing planned. What do you want to do?"

'I don't know, you wanna do anything?"

"I got nothing particular in mind, you got any idea?"

Kennedy paused, "Well, no, I'm bored dry so that's why I asked you."

"Well I don't have anything to do, so that's why I returned the question."

"But I asked it first!"

"And I gave you my answer!"

"You can't bounce it back!"

"Why, cause you are rubber and I'm glue?"

"Yeah, you can't bounce it off of me, it sticks to you!" Kennedy stopped and they started laughing. "Wow, well that passed about 30 seconds by…"

"Yeah." Booker sighed. "So really, what do you want to do?"

"NO!"

"Hey guys." Jamie walked by.

"Hi." "What's up." They both nodded.

"So what are you guys up to?"

"Ugh, don't ask." Kennedy grumbled, Booker just smirked at him.

"What are you doing Jamie?"

"Nothing really, I was gonna just go hang out alone."

"Oh, alone…" Booker bit his lip.

"Ah, I see, alright then." Kennedy replied.

"No, it's not like that, really, I just… uh…" Jamie hesitated. "Look, I can explain it all later, trust me. I would really much rather hang out with you guys."

"Well, what would you want to do if you were able to hang out?" Kennedy suggested.

"Yeah, yeah!" Booker nodded. "Any idea will do, just think of one!"

"Anything!"

"Hmm, uh, well, um…." Jamie shook his head. "Really guys, I gotta go." He took off towards the trees. "Later!" He called back and was gone.

"Wait!" Kennedy took a step but stopped, letting out a sigh.

Booker just stood there for a moment, before asking, "You wanna just go to the beach?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Kennedy shrugged wryly and they both walked off.

Meanwhile…

"Come on Shane Helms, you're supposed to be a super hero? Well all I see is a super ZERO!" Triple H was barking angrily as he paced back and forward, watching Shane running through a rocky part of the forest. "Some Hurricane you are, people will confuse you for a gust of wind and a sprinkle of rain!"

"I'm sorry!" Shane panted as he tried to run quicker. "I'll do better, I'll try harder."

"Make sure you do." Triple H stepped off and turned towards Chris Jericho. "You're doing well Chris." He nodded as Chris ran in the clearing from side to side, touching the ground at the edge of each side of the clearing, like athletes do.

"Thank you!" Chris called back between breaths.

Triple H nodded, "I'm glad I can count on you on my team, I know you won't let me down." He watched as Chris stopped and began to hurdle over logs and bushes outside the clearing.

"I'm a team player, I'm loyal to my friends and I don't give up!"

"I know, I'm glad you're on my side, I can count on you more than anybody else." Triple H paused, almost as if he was recalling what he just said. His expression twitched slightly and he spoke up again, "Chris!" The tone was more demanding a call, and Chris took notice so he stopped.

"Huh, yeah?" He tried to catch his breath quickly, his new hairstyle clenched to his forehead from the sweat. "What is it?"

Triple H spoke quietly in an almost calm and kind voice that threw Chris off guard, "Come with me a sec." He slowly turned to walk off, only pausing briefly to shoot a glare at Shane with a loud growl, "Keep it up, slacker."

"Yes sir!" Shane cried back as Chris glanced at Shane for a moment, then turned to chase after Triple H before went out of view.

Triple H got far enough away to be able to speak privately to Chris and he turned back around, Chris jogged over once he caught up, "What's up, something the matter?"

Triple H hesitated, his eyes not turning to meet Chris, finally he collected his thoughts and stared straight at him, "Chris, you know, the past you and I have together... we've never really seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but this year, this summer at camp, I've, seen you grow up quite a bit. You've gone from the uptight, little know it all kid, and matured into a leader, granted though it is a bit self proclaimed." Chris's eyes went wide, he was frozen in shock, he wouldn't believe it was Triple H speaking to him even though he was looking right at him, his face wasn't flush so he knew he wasn't feverish, so Chris put a hand on his own forehead. Triple H chuckled dryly, "Yes, I know, you're a bit surprised at this, to tell you the truth, so am I. I'm a bit sorry at how I've treated you over the years, but I guess it was just my way of testing you and building you up strong for the future. We've always been rivals, sparing and verbally battling each other. But we have a lot in common, so maybe I even felt a little jealous of you, or even afraid, of what you one day could become." His eyes were serious, they were cold for a moment, but not at Chris, they were getting cold at himself.

"Trips, I…"

"No." He shook his head quietly and stood tall, speaking up again. "I'm telling you this because, because, I…"

"Yeah, you… what?"

Triple H growled to himself, shaking his head, losing his thoughts and maybe even changing his mind, "Look, I. Well, what I mean, is… Ugh, ah never mind. I…"

There was a twinkle in Chris's eyes but he nodded submissively, "It's alright. I think I know where you're going with this, and, well yeah I'm shocked, but, thanks, and, you're welcome."

Triple H looked up and saw Chris flash him a big smile, Triple H smirked back, "Yeah, whatever pint sized. Now get back to training." He turned away, waving him off.

"Yes sir!" Chris saluted and ran back towards Shane, he trotted off happily, his face beaming.

Triple H smirked as he watched him go and sighed, "Perhaps it's best not said, Chris. Only you and I would understand, but I'm glad, as long as we both know." He closed his eyes with an inward nod. "And, thanks..."

Shane continued to do his exercises, "Good thing this soccer team is almost over, I dunno how much more of this I can take. Triple H has always left me alone, just shooting me a slander comment or a roll of the eyes, why is he picking on me so much more lately?"

Just then Jamie darted by, "Hey Shane!"

"Hey… Jamie!" Shane turned.

Jamie slowed and turned around, "Huh?"

"Where are you going?"

"It's, a long story…" He glanced around. "Hey what are you doing out here anyway?"

As if in answer, Triple H's voice was heard booming right as Chris appeared from the bushes, "Shane! I don't hear running!"

"Ah, oh sorry sir!" Shane cried.

"Well anyway, I gotta go, later." Jamie took off, he and Chris exchanging a nod.

"Okay." Shane waved, then turned to Chris and they shrugged at each other.

"Shane!" Triple H roared as he leaped out and appeared next to Chris.

"Yes!" Shane resumed his training.

Triple H growled in a low tone as he glanced sideways at Chris, who nodded back with a smirk, "I got it." He went back to his practicing too. Triple H sat down and nodded again, watching his two teammates, giving himself a satisfied nod. Triple H never practices, but he doesn't need it, he's already that damn good.

Jamie continued to run, "I wish I could ask for help, I'm only a kid, what if I mess up? This is another living thing we're talking about here!" He finally arrived at the edge of the forest where it met up with the beach, they were far enough from the campsite to not be noticed by anybody, the sun was still in the sky but the hills were so higher at this point that they were making it look like dusk already. Jamie's chest heaved as he finally caught his breath, "I wish I didn't have to keep it a secret, but I can't get anyone else involved." He was recalling what Keith had explained to him earlier. He looked at his watch, "He should be here any moment now." He needed to rest, he sat down on a fallen tree, it had long since lost all of its leaves and the branches were very thin and broken by now. "Huh?" Jamie's ears caught a sound and he looked around, unsure how much time had passed while he had been alone with his thoughts, the sound was getting closer.

"Hey." Keith smiled as he came out from behind some trees, he was holding a somewhat large cardboard box, inside Jamie recognized the sound he heard, it was of puppies giggling and whimpering and tussling. "I just fed them so they should fall asleep soon, they must be nervous because of the traveling so far to someplace new."

"Yeah." Jamie nodded, the moment had arrived and he wasn't sure what to say but he knew what he had to do.

"Hey, thanks again. And I promise this won't be long, I'll keep in touch with you!" Keith assured, Jamie nodded but said nothing, his face at the shut lid of the box. Keith smirked to himself as he watched the young boy, "Look, you'll be fine. I have food in there too and a big towel they sleep in that keeps them warm. They're too young to be potty trained though, I've never seen a kind of dog like this before, maybe it's a new breed. I mainly know island wildlife." Keith laughed slightly to himself, but Jamie's expression didn't change. "You'll be fine, don't worry, I trust you, trust me, please."

Jamie finally looked up to see Keith smile back at him, Jamie nodded, "Okay, I will. Thanks."

"Thank you." Keith let out a sigh of relief and turned to go. "I'm working on it I promise it won't be for long, I know you'll be able to do it, everything will be alright!" He called and was gone.

Jamie sighed as he held the large box close to him as he repeated Keith's encouragement to not only the puppies but also to himself, "Don't worry pups, I'm here for you, I'll take good care of you, things will be alright, I promise." He only wished he could believe in himself too, like Keith did. He let out a sigh and stood tall, heading back to camp with the grace of nightfall to hide him. Luckily he made it back by the time everyone had left for dinner, he was sure the others would be worried when he didn't show up for dinner on time, especially since he had run off without explaining himself to anybody. "I told them I would tell them, but right now I think it's best if I keep it a secret." Finally he reached the empty cabin and sat down inside, resting in the chair as he set down the box against the wall in the back corner. He could hear the puppies cooing and yipping quietly as they rolled and played. He smiled to himself as he started to open the top flaps, "You guys must be nervous, today is exciting for me too. You're venturing someplace new, and in a way so am I. But night is coming, so rest up so that tomorrow I can have a fun filled day of playing with my brand new…" He froze, he had opened the box and could now see what was inside. There were six puppies inside with bushy fur, almost like a baby wolf dog, but it was a dirty red almost like some kind of fox. "These aren't, they are…." Now he realized why Keith couldn't recognize them, had the stray dog mated with a wild dog to create half breeds?

In the cafeteria…

"So what's with Jamie?" Shane was asking.

"I dunno." Kennedy replied with a mouth full of food.

Booker finished his statement, "He just kinda left, he was acting strange."

"You're telling me." Chris nodded. "He passed us earlier today, running off somewhere."

"Yeah he didn't tell us where either." Kennedy spoke up, having swallowed his food.

"If you ask me, it's none of your business so you should just stay out of it." Triple H said quietly.

"But what if something's wrong?" Shane retorted.

"He would tell us if he would, he said to us that he'd tell us what was going on if he could and he'd explain it to us afterwards." Booker recalled.

"I just hope he's alright, a lot has happened to him this summer at camp so I want him to come to us, he's the kinda guy who'd do everything himself, even if it harmed him." Chris sighed.

"Hey, guys!" Jamie called, rushing over and sitting down with some food.

"Speak of the devil." Triple H snorted, but resumed eating, not showing any interest.

"Ah where have you been, what's up?" Shane burst out.

"Don't worry, you'll all know sooner or later, so just let it be for now, please." Jamie said quietly, his voice pleading but his expression calm.

"Alright Jamie." Chris nodded respectfully.

"It's nothing bad." Jamie looked up quickly, wanting to put everyone's worry to rest.

"Okay, we trust you, we're just concerned for you, that's all." Kennedy replied.

"Thanks, I'd like to tell you, but it's something actually pretty nice, so I think you'll like it." Jamie smiled. "Now I need to eat, I'm starving!" He dug into his meal. Everyone glanced away and ate their own food, they couldn't help but worry even though Jamie said everything was okay and it wasn't anything bad, but they knew Jamie, so they knew they had to watch him carefully. "Alright, well I gotta go." Jamie stood up after eating quickly.

"Huh?" Chris froze. "But you just got here, you ate so fast!"

"I've got stuff to do, don't worry. I'm going to the cabin, so, uh…" Jamie blushed, he couldn't finish his statement, realizing he may have given too much away. "Bye." He took off. Everyone blinked.

"Is he keeping a secret from us?" Shane shrugged, putting an end to the long pause that followed Jamie's exit.

Chris frowned, "I'm going in first, you guys just lay low and hang out someplace. I want to make sure he's alright." They all nodded. Triple H just continued eating calmly, ignoring them all.

Jamie had rushed back to the cabin, he ran into the door and towards the box and gasped, "Ah, oh no!" He looked around frantically, the puppies were all gone! "Ah, oh I thought Keith said that this would be easy!" He looked under the bunk beds. "He said that they sleep at night!" He messed through all of the blankets and opened the drawers to the dresser, "What a hassle, they could be everywhere!" He stood up, calling to the heavens, "Who knew a box of puppies would be this much trouble!?" He sighed and breathed deep, "Okay, calm down, think. You can't go off the deep end here, there are lives at stake, and you promised Keith." He let it out slow. "Alright. They're puppies, in a new place, so they're probably exploring. But they're very young so they can't have gotten too far, they must be somewhere around outside, so hopefully they haven't been out in the cold for too long." He ran outside and looked around, immediately finding one of them under the stairs, huddled and whimpering, "There you are, I got you!" He scooped him up and took him back inside, placing him in the box and wrapping the towel around him. "Here you go." He patted his head and closed the lid. "Maybe things will work out okay, I just gotta keep my head clear and on straight." He went back outside and looked through the bushes along the wall. "Aha!" He found one with his paws on the wood, looking up at the window where the light from inside was shining out. "Trying to get back inside huh." Jamie picked him up, petting him to calm him down. He returned him to the box inside, covering him up with the blanket as the two pups sniffed at each other. "Two down!" He went to the other side of the house this time and saw the next puppy playing with a pebble on the ground under one of the trees. "It's dark here, you could get lost. Lucky I found you." He picked him up, the puppy complaining as Jamie took him back inside. "You guys must be in your terrible two stage, I take it." Jamie laughed to himself as the third one jumped out of his arms and landed on one of the other puppies, making him squeak with surprise. "Half way there!" Jamie returned outside once more, going around to the back of the building. "Hmm…" He glanced this way and that, putting his hands on his hips. He heard a loud whine echo from near him, and he noticed a hollowed out log. "Hide and seek, I found you!" He poked his head into the opening, the puppy turned around and let out a moan of confusion as Jamie reached in and picked him up. He returned to the box one more time, "Hopefully now you guys are tired out so I can get some rest too. Two left to go." He went outside the door and just as he was about to step off the stairs he heard a small howl, he looked around until he saw the next puppy standing on a rock looking up at the crescent moon. Jamie laughed, "Maybe you are half wolf." He picked him up, the puppy cooed sadly as Jamie returned him with his siblings. "Now there's only one missing." He counted. "I wonder where he could be." He went back outside and looked all around the cabin, even in places where he'd found the others. "Oh, where is he?"

"Looking for something?"

"AH!" Jamie screamed and jumped back towards the door.

Chris couldn't help but laugh as he stepped into the light, "Hey jumpy, sorry to scare you."

"Chris!" Jamie cried, his heartbeat returning to normal. "But, why did, what are you…?"

"This what you need?" Chris held up the last puppy, it let out a small happy yap.

"Aha!" Jamie cried but then gasped, drawing back in hesitation. "Uh, oh I, um… AH!" He sat on the stairs in defeat. "So I guess you found me out."

"You could've told me, what's wrong with a puppy?" He rubbed his soft fur aginst his cheek, making the puppy gurgle with joy. "Did you find him?" Chris approached Jamie, playing with the spunky dog in his hands.

"You remember Keith? He found these, their mother left them. He thinks she was a stray from the city who got away so she could have her babies. He's working to find homes for them, or something I dunno, but he's short handed back at work and needed to keep them someplace safe. So he came to me."

"You could've come to us." Chris went inside, Jamie getting up to follow him. "We're friends, we would help you, why do you think you need to take on the world by yourself?" He opened the box and gasped. "There's more!?"

"Yeah." Jamie laughed, embarrassed.

Chris frowned, "Yeah, wow, you REALLY should've told us!"

"I said that I would, but, see it's nothing wrong! I'm doing good by helping Keith, I, I just…"

"You wanted to prove that you could?"

"No, well, I thought that only I could."

Chris sighed and paused for a moment before continuing, "Look, I know we all have our flaws, and I'll be the first to admit you're probably the best one here who could take care of them, but you're still just a kid. But you were only doing Keith a favor, and you wanted to help, and you were doing right. But you weren't doing any favors by taking this on by yourself. You can't always say 'yes' to everyone."

"I know what you mean." Jamie smirked at himself. "I guess some things never change."

Chris smirked back, "You know, it's not like a bad quality though. People can come to you, you can see that. They can trust you and know you're responsible. That's a good thing. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah." Jamie nodded, then smiled. "Thanks. Anyway, would you just keep this a secret for me, please? They might not be here long anyway!"

"Don't worry, I will." Chris winked. "You know you can trust me."

"Yeah… and make sure you don't tell Triple H! He'd hurt them!"

"Hah, don't worry about that one!" Chris laughed. "Well, so how are you going to hide them?"

"We could cover them with a big towel or a spare blanket." Jamie opened a drawer and looked in the dresser. "Found one." He pulled it out.

"Well hopefully after all the adventure they don't end up…."

"Poop!" Jamie cried before Chris could finish. The puppies all looked up happily yipping and wagging their tails. Chris groaned out a sigh as Jamie just smirked, "Well, babies need to be changed."

"Heh, yeah…" Chris shrugged, they cleaned up and covered the box. "And don't worry about the others, I told them to leave you alone about this. And Triple H could care less, so your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks." Jamie nodded, it felt good to help people, but it felt even better not to be alone.

The next day….

"Is Jamie going to miss breakfast again?" Shane was asking as they stood in line.

"No, I'm going to take some to him." Chris replied.

"I wish you could tell us what's going on in there." Kennedy sighed.

"Don't worry, but like Jamie said, it's nothing bad. You'll be surprised!"

"As long as he's not in trouble or in over his head." Booker nodded.

"No he's not, because I'm there." Chris winked with a smirk, he got the two breakfast trays. "Alright, see you guys in a bit." He took off.

"Feh, with all of this secrecy, it actually kinda makes me wanna know what's up." Triple H blinked, then paused and turned to the others who shot him a blank stare. Triple H frowned, wearing a long face, "It's not that I care, its' just that I'm curious is all." He snorted.

"I can't thank you for all of the help Chris." Jamie said as they both ate.

"Like I said, it's no problem. We're friends, and that's what friends do, we help each other out." Chris took a piece of food off his plate and held it over the box as the puppies scrambled to sniff and take a bite. "Besides, I don't mind, I like animals. You don't need to hold the weight of the world upon your shoulder. You don't need to be so proud, you can ask for help." Chris sighed and made a soft smirk, "Trust me, I know how that can be."

"I know, I know." Jamie took a piece of his food and held it over to the puppies to, who began to whimper and wrestle over them, causing the boys to laugh.

"And another thing." Chris turned back to Jamie. "You can't always learn to say 'yes' to everyone for everything. You have to know your limits."

"This really has been a learning experience, I'll tell you that." Jamie chuckled.

"Alright, so let's go over something." Chris put down his tray once they had both finished. Jamie looked up as he drank the last of his juice box. Chris turned back to him, "Let's do a little practice exercise so you can try to learn how to say 'no' to people."

"Chris." Jamie laughed, a bit humiliated at the thought.

"Seriously man." Chris smirked and cleared his throat. "Alright, now let's begin. I'll ask you different requests as different people, don't think of me as a friend or family member, I could be a stranger." Jamie nodded. "Okay… hey Jamie, I'm broke and I want to get some burgers and gas. Can you lend me 50 bones?"

"Uh…. Sure?"

"NO!"

"Oh, okay, um… no, sorry I don't have that kinda money."

"That's okay, thanks." Chris shrugged. "See, that was easy enough. You just gotta stop being so nice or people will walk all over you. And you and I are not doormats, got it!"

"Yes sir!" Jamie nodded.

"Okay, so let's keep going then." Chris thought for a moment before speaking. "Hey Jamie, I have to pick up my little sister, can you watch the dog for me?"

"Uh… sure."

"Alright, good. That's no biggie, just make sure you aren't busy and going out of your way."

"Got it."

"Another one… Jamie, I'm in trouble, I didn't do the lawn chores, can you help me out?"

Jamie paused to think, "Uh, are you getting allowance for it?"

"Good." Chris smiled. "Um, yeah I am. I'll give you half if you help me, are you busy?"

"No, I'll help."

"Great! Okay… Jamie will you paint my house?"

"What! NO!"

Chris laughed, "Jamie can I get the answers on your test?"

"NO! Besides, I'm not that good…"

Chris chuckled, but didn't stop, "Jamie can you steam clean my carpet?"

"NO!"

"Can I borrow your Nintendo?"

"NO!"

"Are you gonna drink your milk?"

"NO! Wait, what…?"

"Sweet, thanks!" Chris took it and went to open it.

"NO!" Jamie tackled him and they laughed and wrestled, wanting to play, the puppies jumped out of their box and joined in the game. But the fun only lasted for a moment...

"AH!"

"Huh?" Chris and Jamie looked up and gasped. "AH!"

"AH!" Everyone screamed, they had come back from breakfast already and thought it would have been enough time, but here they saw Jamie and Chris with… "PUPPIES!"

"Uh…" Chris and Jamie shot a glance at each other.

"AWE!" Everyone rushed in and picked up a puppy, cuddling and playing with them.

"Jamie, this is awesome!" Booker beamed.

"See, didn't I tell you?" Chris nodded.

"So you're watching them, whose are they?" Kennedy asked.

"Keith, you remember him right?" Jamie explained the story to their friends as they all pet the puppies, Chris had two on his lap that wrestled each other. "So he should be by any time to come pick them up, he's just been so busy being short handed he needed help to watch them."

"That was nice of you." Shane smiled.

"Whoa, careful." Chris warned as the two puppies rolled off his lap and one nearly fell out the door, but luckily a pair of shoes blocked his way, and those shoes were worn by someone. The puppy sat upright and looked up to see Triple H staring wide eyed down at him. A bit unsure and confused, Triple H glanced around the room.

"Aww!" Everyone cooed with a laugh, Chris just nodded at Triple H.

"Well…" Triple H bit his lip and bent down to pick him up, the puppy licked him. "Aw, well I guess they are kinda…" The puppy peed on his shirt. "Cute…" He growled with a frown.

Chris laughed, "That's called happy pee!" Everyone laughed.

"Hey, knock, knock!"

"Keith!" Jamie beamed happily with relief. "You made it back!"

"Well good, I'm glad to see your friends are helping you after all." Keith smiled.

"But you told me to do this by myself, you could only trust me."

"Of course I trust them, they're my friends too and I know them. But I also know you, and I know you needed this. That's why I asked you."

"See?" Chris smiled.

Jamie felt a bit embarrassed, so he changed the subject, "So did you find somebody for the puppies?"

"Yes, thankfully I was able to find somebody to take care of them. They'll be happy and safe, all thanks to you Jamie."

Jamie blushed, "Oh, stop it…"

"Anyway, I'm sorry if I was a burden to you. So I'll take them off your hands now." Keith walked over to the box as they all put their puppy back in and Jamie covered it. "Thanks again." Keith left as quickly as he had come.

Jamie let out a sigh and Chris put his arm around him, "See, sometimes it is hard to say yes."

"No, it's okay. I'll miss them, but, along with learning how to say 'no' you also have to learn how to say good bye."

Shane smiled, "Jamie, you've really grown up."

"Huh?"

"I mean, you did a lot, you took care of puppies on your own and you're all grown up now, you're the biggest little guy I know!"

"Heh, stop…" Jamie blushed again, everyone laughed. Keith was able to make sure the puppies would be happy and safe and cared for and it was all through the help of Jamie, a boy who could only say yes had grown into a man, a man who had learned not only how to say no, but also to say good bye.


	30. Furball

The sky was a mix of light blue and silver from the thick fog that stubbornly hung in the sky, the grass was covered in water, the dirt was dark brown, turning into mud. But the water on the ground wasn't the sky's fault, though an impending storm may be nearing soon.

"Great, the sprinkler system is messed up again!" Al Snow roared with disbelief.

"It's still broken, wasn't it fixed?" Spike Dudley asked.

"I guess not." Al sighed. "I thought it was working now, it was fine three days ago, but now. Ugh! What are we going to do now, the next soccer match is today?"

Spike stepped in the field, paying mind for any puddles or sticky mud, "It's actually not that bad, we caught it early and were able to shut it off in time. The game might be alright."

"Well…" Al folded his arms. "If it does present a problem, we can always stop it and have it tomorrow."

"Wow." Spike looked up at the sky with a wistful sigh. "Seems just like yesterday we were getting off the boat, but soon, camp will all be over…"

Later that morning, that very same field was full of kids screaming and cheering as the soccer game was underway…

"Out of bounds!" Al blew the whistle.

"Ah man!" Shane Helms scuffed his shoe in the dirt, but then made a disgusted face to see his shoe covered in thick mud.

"We almost had the goal." Triple H snarled, they already had the lead in the game, but Triple H was merciless. "When they throw it in, intercept and get it to me, we're too close to the net to throw this chance away to get the win."

"Mhm, okay." Shane nodded and they got into position.

"They're doing great out there." Booker T was saying to Ken Kennedy.

"Yeah, we could've done a lot better though."

"Oh I know." Jamie Noble laughed. "Oh well."

The goalie, Chris Jericho, was standing by a pool of water that had developed outside the net out of bounds, "Ah, perfect." He smiled at his reflection. "Not a hair out of place, heh, even my clothes are spotless." He sniffed slightly at a tickle in his nose. "Ah… ah… ahhhh." He let out a sigh, blocking yet another sneeze. He was beginning to feel the fight of a cold coming on, and he wasn't about ready to get the flu during the soccer tournament. Chris gasped back at his reflection, "Oh no, my bed head!" Chris fixed his messed up hair, he'd woken up not only with a sting I his throat but a very bad hair day.

"AH, heads up!" Shane cried as he stumbled in the mud, trying to get after the ball.

"Look out!" Jamie, Booker and Kennedy cried as a wave of mud flew towards Chris.

"YAH!" He screamed and dodged it just in time, letting out another sigh of relief. "Huh?" He looked up to see the ball bounce carelessly into the net to get the other team a point.

"Aw…" The trio groaned. Chris's jaw dropped in shock, Shane grumbled and Triple H looked about ready to explode.

"CHRIS! What do you think you're doing!?"

"The mud, I was… I just…"

Triple H snarled, "If you weren't always so preoccupied with your appearance, like a GIRL, then maybe you'd focus on the game we seem to be playing here!"

"We have to count on you Chris, now the score is tied." Shane sighed, he himself had mud on his clothes, as did Triple H. "I mean look at your uniform."

"Uh…" Chris grimaced and glanced down at his clean uniform.

"Are you a man or a mouse?" Triple H barked loudly.

"Look I, uh… I ah… ah… AH-CHOO!" Chris let out a sneeze so hard that it recoiled, causing his hair to poof out into a bad hair day of bed head, and making him to stumble backwards and land right in the mud, covering him from shoulder to shoes. "Ugh…" He groaned, shaking his heavy head and opened his eyes to look around. "Huh?" Everyone was roaring with laughter, the crowd, his friends, even Triple H couldn't help it. "I, I…!" Chris stammered, upset as he tried to fight back the tears of humiliation. "How embarrassing, my bad hair day and covered in mud? In front of everyone here at camp!" He even saw the counselors laughing.

"DAMN!" Farooq was even laughing.

"I can never show my face here again!" Chris sobbed loudly and jumped up, running off in shame.

"Hey Chris, come on!" Shane called after him between laughs.

"What's he getting all upset about, this is nothing to get all mopey over." Jamie replied.

"Yeah, so he had a bad hair day, this isn't even one of his worse bed heads. Remember when he used to have long hair?" Kennedy chuckled a bit.

"And so he fell in the mud, big deal, it's a soccer game, they're all dirty." Booker shrugged.

"And it sounds like he's getting sick with allergies again, but that's nothing new. So why is he so ashamed?" Shane asked, glancing at Triple H who just groaned, shaking his head to himself.

"Well…" Al caught his breath, rubbing a tear from his eye. "The mud isn't helping the game any, and seeing as it's a tie, why don't we just call it off and finish it tomorrow."

"No loss, Triple H would just win again anyway." Spike added. "The tournament is nearly over and he's in the lead."

"Yeah." Al nodded. "Triple H just might be this year's King of the Camp."

Chris had run off blindly into the deep forest. "I can't believe it." He sniffed to himself, partly from the allergies and partly from crying, he was completely humiliated and ashamed at himself for doing something so stupid in front of the whole entire camp. "I'm covered in mud, I've got my untamable bed head, and… ACHOO! Cough, cough! I'm sick again!" He groaned to himself, beginning to sound congested. "I can't believe what a fool I am, everybody saw me, I'm so embarrassed." He held his weary head.

"What's the matter?"

"Huh?" Chris looked up and saw Keith. "Oh, hi. Cough." Chris sniffed and turned away.

"Hey." Keith smirked sympathetically. "What's wrong?"

"It's a long story…" Chris groaned.

"Well, sounds like you're getting sick again huh?"

"That's not even half of it." Chris's voice was beginning to crack and sound funny, again partially from crying and partially from being sick.

"Well, why don't you tell me about it? Oh!" He paused and glanced around. "Chris, these are some of my new friends. They're interns and such, kids from the city who are getting into my line of work. Good people."

"Hey." Chris nodded and they greeted him in return.

"So what's up?"

Chris sighed and told them the story, "So I ran off to be alone with my pathetic thoughts, I can't believe myself."

Keith sighed and grinned softly, "That's no big deal, it's not the end of the world."

"Yeah, there could be plenty worse stuff that could've happened." One of Keith's friends added.

"Yeah, like what?" Chris snorted quietly.

"Hey, I've been in worse situations." Another of the guys chuckled.

"Oh yeah?" Chris scoffed absentmindedly.

Keith glanced at his friends with a smirk, "Say, I have an idea, to cheer you up Chris, why don't we tell you our really embarrassing moments."

"Yeah, okay." They nodded.

"Huh, really?" Chris perked up, lifting his head, actually starting not to feel so bad.

"Yeah, hmm, so who wants to start?" Keith looked around.

"I've got one." One of the guys spoke up. Then thought for a moment before beginning, "Well, okay, there was this one time when I was in PE class, the boys and girls had always been separated, but they finally decided to unify them when I was in my last year at the school. We were going to have a decathlon on the last week and everyone was involved. Now not to brag, but I was easily one of the best athletes in the school. So first we did the weight room and there was this totally hot chick, and she was just pumping iron! I was so distracted I could barely even lift the bar by itself, I wasn't paying attention and the weights weren't locked, so it slipped off one side and the heavy side hit me in the leg. It hurt like hell, but not half as bad as the laughter. So next was the mile run, I was still hurting, and this same girl was incredibly fast. Normally I can do a mile no problem, but I was slowed down, and this girl got me again, she passed me! Then other guys started to pass me, then other girls even. When I finally got to the finish line, the girl was talking with the others and was waiting for me. You know what she said to me?" Chris shook his head. "She said, I thought you were kinda cute and I heard you were pretty athletic. But hey if I can beat you? I guess you're not the man for me at all, heh, you aren't even a man at all! And everyone laughed!" Keith and the others started to laugh, even the guy started to.

"Hey, it's not funny." Chris pouted.

"That's the thing Chris, you can't let things get to you like that when they aren't really that bad. It could've been worse, you have to learn to laugh it off. Even when it's at yourself." Keith smiled. "Anybody else got a story they want to share for Chris?"

"Yeah okay I'll go." Another guy spoke up as the laughter died down. "So I used to be on the debate team because I was never too athletic, but my parents were all about me learning teamwork, and I was pretty smart in school too. And we did pretty good, we went from being one of the worst teams to one of the best. We got to the quarter finals I think, we were in the lead and the semi's were in our sight! We got the question, and it wasn't that hard, so I clicked the buzzer to answer before the other team. I think it was a political question or something. But for some reason, I just froze. The time was running out and I just stammered. The guy needed an answer, he kept prompting me. Finally, I dunno what happened, but I just blanked, and in my nervousness my stomach got upset, I let out a monster burp, and then a loud fart. Then the buzzer sounded. Everybody laughed, the man finally stopped crying and told me that wasn't the acceptable answer. So the other team answered right and we lost. I was so humiliated, I was all red, and then I found out it was on television."

"National!?" Keith blurted.

"No, no, local, but still, ugh…" The guy shuddered as the others all laughed, finally he joined in too. "Well, at least nobody recorded it."

"Aw, that's awful, how terrible!" Chris frowned

"Terribly funny!" Keith laughed, Chris just made a face. "Alright, okay. I guess it's my turn now, we don't want to keep Chris all day." He cleared his throat. "Well in elementary school, my mom was a teacher, and she ended up being my teacher. Every kids worst fear! One day I was playing in the field, it was almost the end of the school day so I was all dirty from having fun. All of a sudden there was this huge loud boom, I'm not sure what happened, if something exploded, or a tire popped, or a gun was shot, or something really big fell, but it scared the crap out of me! Well, rather, the pee. Needless to say I was pretty embarrassed. Luckily though I had dark blue pants, so I ran to the bathroom and saw my mom on the way. She helped me, even though I had the situation under control myself. Anyway, we went back to class to end the day, and by then the others had heard what had happened. My mom kissed me and said, you're welcome, meaning she wanted me to say what I usually did when she helped me. I said, I love you teacher, instead of mom. Everybody laughed. I mean yeah they knew I was her son, but I was usually a tough respectable guy in school, and I was shot down a whole peg in front of everyone in the class, they knew I peed my pants, my mom helped me in the bathroom, and then she wanted me to say she loved her. Now there's nothing wrong with that, but I didn't say mom, I said teacher. And you don't get mom and teacher mixed up when saying I love you!"

"That… that's…" Chris sputtered as the others all laughed. "That's so stupid!" Chris started to bust up laughing, after all the stories, then hearing Keith's, and knowing and looking up to Keith so much, hearing that was just so funny.

Keith laughed too, "See, it's not so bad! You gotta learn to laugh it off, because it's not the end of the world. It's not like this is the first time you've ever been so embarrased right? Things can always be worse, and your situation, just like ours, is pretty humiliating, but everybody has at least one embarrassing moment. Every person that laughed at you, each one of your friends, even the counselors, everybody has been the victim, but they learn to laugh it off and let it go, because again, it's not so bad, and it can always be worse. Remember that."

"Okay, I will. Thanks." Chris laughed, but his warm happy laughter turned into violent coughing, so everybody began to quiet back down, forgetting Chris was feeling bad in more way that one. "Ugh…" Chris groaned, his head feeling heavy and stuffy again.

"Uh oh." Keith put his hand on Chris's forehead. "Okay I think that's enough for one day, why don't we get you back to camp."

"Okay." Chris croaked, his hand gripping his neck in pain as he sniffed. "Achoo! Thanks guys."

"Sure, no problem." The first guy nodded.

"I hope you feel better." The second added.

Chris smirked, "Yeah, I kinda already do too, heh."

"Alright come on, let's go." Keith stood up, Chris got up a bit wobbly, feeling weak now that a fever was coming on. "That's no good, here, get on." Keith crouched down so Chris could get on his back. He groaned reluctantly, hesitated but then got on. Keith started off and then glanced back at the group of friends, "Hey I'll catch up with you guys, don't wait up."

"Okay!" They called as they walked out of sight.

"Keith…" Chris's voice was muffled by his back.

"Yes?"

Chris poked his head over his shoulder, "Do you really have to carry me all the way back like this? I mean, it's kinda embarrassing."

"Really?" Keith smirked. "Does it make you feel that bad?"

Chris paused, then smiled, "Nah, I mean hey, it could be worse!"

"That's the spirit!" Keith laughed, Chris joined him, but then winced. "Okay, we're almost there. I can see two familiar faces."

"Huh?" Chris looked up to see Booker T and Kennedy rushing over.

"Keith!"

"Hey guys!"

"Chris?" Booker gasped.

"Hey are you alright man?" Kennedy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Chris smiled as Keith let him down off of his back.

"Chris, your voice, you're getting sick again, you look horrible." Kennedy frowned.

"Thanks a lot." Chris grimaced.

"But at least you sound better." Booker sighed sympathetically. "Are you alright?"

Chris glanced slightly at Kennedy but grinned, "Yeah, I am now. I'm sorry guys."

"No it's our fault, we should be easier on you, after all, you are just a dumb little kid." Booker snickered.

"Hey shut up!" Chris laughed.

"Aw, what are you embarrassed by that?" Kennedy laughed, joking in too.

Chris smirked slyly, "No, not at all. Rah!" He leaped onto Kennedy and Booker and they began to laugh and wrestle.

Keith smiled proudly down at them for a bit, "Well guys, I guess I'd better go."

"Okay Keith, thanks!" Chris called and they went back to tussling.

"Oh and stop that wrestling, you're sick Chris, you get to bed!" Keith called back.

"Aw…" Chris groaned and they stopped wrestling, Kennedy and Booker laughed.

"Stupid little kid." Booker muttered again and gave him a noogie to the bed head.

"Shut UP!" Chris barked back as he tried to fix his bad hair, but then coughed.

"Stupid little SICK kid." Kennedy corrected and they all laughed again, still just the same old Chris, well, now not entirely.


	31. A Tale Of Two Kiddys

**A/N:** _Yay, glad you liked it. I like to torment Chris sometimes, but I think we all do... lol. Anyways... only a few chapters left, I was thinking about maybe writing a reunion chapter that takes place next year... but I haven't decided yet, heh. Plus I don't really have much free time with work stress and all... but anyways enough talk lol onto the reading._

"Chris, Chris where are you? Get back here!" Ken Kennedy was calling through the forest.

"Come back Chris, right now!" Jamie Noble chimed in, cupping his hands to his mouth. They were standing on a large rock at the edge of the beach where the sand turned into dirt as the ocean became the woods going up into the hills. "Why did he run away?"

"Because he's a big, BABY!" Kennedy turned to yell the last word into the forest.

"When will he learn…" Jamie sighed.

Just then the duo heard footsteps run towards them, they turned to see that it was only Shane Helms, "Guys, the art projects are beginning, hurry up and come back!"

"But Chris ran away again." Jamie protested.

"Ugh, the stupid nurse just had to announce that she needed to check up on Chris since he was sick again. He's in the soccer tournament still, if he still stays sick, it could harm both him and his chances at victory." Kennedy sighed.

"Well and we all know that would really upset Triple H." Shane nodded. "Well either way, Chris will come back eventually."

"Hey, speaking of Triple H, he's gone too… where'd he run off to?" Kennedy looked around.

"Well it's not to find Chris, I assure you." Jamie rolled his eyes as the three of them walked off.

Meanwhile…

"Chris Jericho get down here this instant, you need your examination!" Booker T was yelling up into a tree.

"No." Chris snorted, turning his head away.

"Then if you won't come down, I'll go up!" Booker began to climb up the other side of the tree.

"Nothin doin…" Chris scoffed, coughing slightly into his hand.

Booker scaled branch by branch until he got on the other side of the trunk, "Now I've got you!"

"Eh?" Chris turned around.

"You need your physical exam, now come back with me!" Booker went to grab but Chris backed up, Booker only gripping his collar. "I have you now!"

"Ah! No!" Chris gasped, his reflexes slowed by his weakness and fever. "Ah… ah…!"

"Oh no, don't, don't…!" Booker stammered, but it was too late.

"ACHOO!" The hard sneeze shook the branches in the tree, causing Chris to fall, with Booker flying just behind him.

"AH!"

"Ah…" Triple H was stalking around proudly, talking to himself. "I feel especially fierce today, anybody who dares to cross my path will surely… eh?" He looked up upon hearing nearing screaming. "AH!" Triple H joined in the cry as he only noticed too late, Chris and Booker crashing down right onto him. Triple H groaned on the bottom of the pile, "Ouch, get off me, ugh!"

"Oh, I don't feel so good…" Chris coughed, sandwiched in the middle. "I can't breathe!"

"Chris, Triple H!" Booker gasped, leaping off, just fine. "You saved my life guys, oh thank you!"

"Ow…" They both groaned, they both looked in a bad way.

"Uh oh…" Booker gulped, they were really hurt. He began to think, he couldn't take them both to the nurse. Chris was too much of a baby, and Triple H was way too proud. "Well, that leaves me with only one other option then…" He rubbed his chin and let out a sigh. Booker found some large bushes and shrubberies growing in a clearing and lined them with leaves and stalks of long grass to create two makeshift beds, he put Triple H and Chris on each of them.

"Ugh, oh, ah, ouch…" They both moaned and groaned.

"Okay guys, this is the best I can do right now. I don't really know how else I can help you…" Booker glanced at his watch. "Oh no, hey guys we're missing the art projects!"

"OW…!" They both cried in unison.

"Okay, good point… I don't really want to do one either." Booker bit his lip. "They'll all notice the three of us missing… but what should I do?" He began to think, then snapped his fingers in realization. "I got it! Stay here guys, I'll be right back!" He ran off, thinking aloud to himself, "I'll take some of the stuff from the first aid kit and see what I can find in the supply box, then I'll find one of the guys and tell them where we are and what's going on. Yeah, a great idea, I just knew I'd think up something!"

Chris and Triple H had both stopped moaning and groaning and the forest was quiet until Chris's hoarse voice broke the silence, "Hey Trips?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Triple H sat up, hearing the concern in Chris's strained voice, "Yeah I'll live, just a few bumps and bruises. Scrapes and scratches will heal, but, how about you?"

Chris held his breath for a moment, maybe he was hallucinating, but he actually thought he could detect a warmth of worry in Triple H, "I guess I'm fine." He coughed. "More or less anyway, ugh. Just a little sore."

"Heh, and still sick to boot." Triple H scoffed. He winced as he lay back down, "But this is kinda nice, not having to worry about anything, getting waited on hand and foot, like a king and his servant."

"Well, we are missing art."

"Oh fooey, we could use a rest. Aren't we supposed to be relaxing on our vacation?"

"Well I suppose, I mean, camp is almost over."

"And imagine all of the times Booker has messed with us, both you and me!"

"Yeah, that's true, you gotta point there too."

"Why don't we just play sick and let him take care of us like our own personal maid." Triple H smiled, Chris let out a sneeze. "Of course, you won't have to act…"

"Hey…!"

"Whatever, you know what I mean."

"Yeah I do, and it's an idea and all, I just feel bad about using him."

"Nah, think of it as evening the playing field. Then we can start over level. And plus, I'll be king soon, I should get used to living the high life." Triple H snickered.

"Oh alright, you win, you've talked me into it." Chris chuckled slightly and closed his eyes. "Besides, if I rest up, maybe I will get better on my own and I won't have to run away anymore…" Triple H nodded as Chris eventually fell into a sleep. Triple H followed his lead.

Elsewhere…

"Alright, a good stash." Booker was sneaking through the nurse's office with a plastic bag full of stuff. "Now, I just gotta find somebody to tell what's going on…" He crept out the door quietly and walked over to where the campers were all working on their art projects. Booker looked around to try and find one of his friends, he smirked with relief when he saw that Shane was the closest person. He was painting himself in a super hero costume with a dark blue sky with silvery clouds as the background, similar to something that Batman would look like over Gotham. "Psst, hey!" Booker whispered loudly.

"Huh what? Oh! Book!" Shane glanced around and leaned over to make sure nobody noticed. "What is it, what's going on?"

"I found Chris, and Triple H is with is too."

"Oh!" Shane's eyes widened with relief that Chris was found and alright.

"They're both hurt, so I'm watching over them. I'm also gonna check up on Chris, maybe he'll get better without having to see the nurse, and of course Triple H is proud and would never ask for, or admit any help, so don't tell anybody what happened. Just let them know that Chris and Triple H are with me, we're up in a clearing in the hills and everything is cool. Okay?"

"Alright. And, let me know if you need any help or anything."

"Okay I will, thanks." Booker snuck back off and Shane resumed his painting.

But they weren't the only ones who heard…

"So did you hear that, finally some fun has popped back up." Kurt Angle poked his head out from around the corner, a gleeful grin spread across his face. "Oh goodie, boredome be gone alas!"

"Yes, we can get our revenge on Triple H." Kane cracked his knuckles.

"And that catlike Chris kid is finally on his ninth life, this is a perfect way to end a dull summer at camp." Kurt crept into the forest with Kane following normally behind.

Back in the hills…

Triple H was moaning and groaning, Chris was whining and sneezing and coughing while Booker tried to attend to them, "Can I get you anything to drink, are you thirsty?"

"Yes T, I'd like a water please." Triple H whispered.

"Sure, here." Booker got a bottle, although he wasn't sure if Triple H said he wanted water, or tea.

"Ugh…" Triple H tried to sit up. "It hurts, I can't sit up. Do you have a straw or something?"

"Uh, hang on let me see…" Booker looked through his supplies, and with what he had he was able to create a kind of makeshift IV, he placed the bottle on a rock near the bedding and wrapped straws with bandages on a twig that he stuck in the ground, making it go to Triple H. "There is that better?"

"Very good, thank you T."

"Tea?"

"Yes, T."

"Uh…" Booker turned up his nose, finally realizing he wasn't asking for 'tea', he was calling him 'T'. "I don't really like that nickname please."

"Oh, I'm sorry… T." Triple H sneered. Booker scowled, that was his fault for telling him he hated it, now he'd never hear the end of it.

"Whatever…" He turned his attention to Chris, who had a damp cloth on his forehead. "How's the fever?" He took the rag off and felt his sticky forehead. "You're sweating…" He grabbed a bag of ice he had taken from the cabin and put it on Chris's head.

"Thanks, I've got a headache…" Chris said in a dry voice, and he truly did too.

"How's your nose and chest, can you breathe okay lying down like that?"

"Ugh, not really." Chris cleared his throat. "Maybe I could prop up on something?"

"Ah, here hang on…" Booker looked around and found a small log, putting in behind Chris's back, he propped him up. "There, how's that feel?"

Chris took a deep breath and smiled, "Much better, thanks." He coughed and held his neck, hissing through his teeth with painful regret.

"Alright, no more talking. You both get some rest okay, and let me know if you need anything, I won't be too far off." Booker turned to walk off.

"Okay." Chris nodded.

"We'll give you a holler." Triple H waved him off like a servant.

Booker groaned as he walked off, "Note to self, be thankful I'm not going into the medical care profession." Soon he was out of sight, Triple H and Chris shooting each other a grin. But a rustling caused them to return to their acts, only it wasn't Booker who appeared, but Kane and Kurt, who was wearing a hospital mask over his face.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." Kurt smiled, he noticed the bag of medical supplies that Booker had taken from camp. Kurt reached in and pulled out a popsicle stick as he walked over to Triple H and Chris, "Hello patients, Booker T sent us to check up on you."

"What?" Triple H shot up to see Kane pull out a hammer, and not a medical hammer, the sledge hammer kind.

"Uh oh, you seem a little lively, I'll let Kane treat you." Kurt shuffled aside, Kane cracked his knuckles, Triple H just snarled fiercely. Nobody touched HIS sledge and got away with it! Kurt looked at Chris who was staring back a bit confused, he had taken some pills that Booker had found in the first aid kit and they were taking effect because it didn't seem that Chris recognized his doctor. "Open wide and say ah!"

"Uh…" Chris stared at him dazed, Kurt just snickered joyfully.

"AH!" Triple H roared, jumping out of his bed and swatting the stick out of Kurt's hand, landing in between them with an angry snarl.

"Uh, you seem to be doing just fine, I'll come back to check up on you later!" Kurt rushed off, Kane following him, bored again already as he dropped the hammer.

"Huh…" Triple H snorted. "That was bizarre." He picked up his weapon and turned back to Chris, who was still blinking a little dazed and confused. "You alright?"

"I, uh, guess so…?"

"Hmm." Triple H blinked sternly, he put a hand on Chris's forehead, his fever was getting worse, whatever pills Booker had found, they weren't helping and must've been the wrong medicine. Chris closed his eyes, feeling very sleepy. Triple H looked through the medical supplies and found the correct pills. He took the bottle of water that Booker had set up and took them over to Chris, putting the pills in his mouth and helping him swallow the water. "There, now don't say I never did anything nice for you." Triple H grumbled and returned to his bed, Chris had fallen asleep in his weakness. Triple H looked around, making sure they were alone, he would never admit it, but he was concerned for his young teammate, and not just because he needed him to get the win in the soccer tournament.

Later…

"Ugh, I don't know if I can take it." Booker was grumbling as Shane frowned, still trying to finish his painting. "These guys are killing me, I mean it was my fault they both got hurt, and I want to help Chris since he's still so sick, and they both are in the soccer tournament, so they could blame me!"

"Booker, just show them that you're not a doormat, you have limits and they're crossing them. They're your friends, they'll understand, trust me. Maybe they don't know it's hurting you." Shane was reaching his limit too, fyi.

"I guess so. Alright then, I will, thanks." Booker smiled and rushed off, Shane just rolled his eyes.

"Oh I'll get that Triple H, and his little dog too." Kurt was grumbling as he watched Booker.

"I'm bored."

"Yes, yes I know…" Kurt groaned, rolling his eyes. "But Triple H is obviously faking, and with him by Chris we can't even get the one of them."

"Then let's do something else."

"Fine, you party pooper!" Kurt stomped off, Kane lumbering somberly after.

"T, Booker T!" Triple H was roaring.

"What, what, what is it now?" Booker burst into the clearing.

"Oh, Booker I'm hungry." Triple H whined, feigning pain again.

"Well, you did miss lunch." Booker sighed and walked over to the bag, he had taken some snacks as well. He tossed one back to Triple H, who struggled to open it.

"Oh, uh Book…"

Booker shivered, then turned with a grimace, "Yes…?"

"Feed me." Triple H went limp, putting his arm over his head dramatically.

"Ugh, disgusting, now I think I'm the one whose gonna be sick…" But Booker obeyed, feeding him a single chip at a time while Trilpe H loudly savored every bite. "If you're quite full now…"

"Yes…" Triple H said in a hiss.

"I'm going to check up on Chris." Booker walked over to see that Chris was still asleep, the bag of ice had melted and his forehead actually did feel cooler. "Good, his fever is dropping, maybe with his rest he'll regain some strength as well." He put an ear to Chris's chest to check on his breathing. "He still sounds pretty congested, but I couldn't find any pills for that."

"Oh forget him, what about me? I'm in pain too, and I'm in the soccer tournament, and in first place to become king and…" Triple H stopped, his eyes opening wide. "Unless you are purposely ignoring me to try and sabotage my victory!"

"I am not!" Booker scoffed, appalled.

"Yes, yes you are!" Triple H sat up with a scowl.

"Are not!"

"Are so!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yuh huh!"

"OH! I don't have time for this…!" Booker covered his ears. "I need a break!" He ran off.

Triple H scoffed and laid back down, "What a selfish little twit..."

Back at camp…

"Ah, it's perfect!" Shane gasped in awe, laying down the final brush stroke.

"I HAVE HAD IT!" Booker roared.

"AH!" Shane screamed in shock, dragging the brush across the picture, drawing a line right across his nose to look like a mustache. Shane scowled furiously at Booker.

Booker paused, confused, "What…!?"

"Tell them, not me, THEM!" Shane stomped his foot, pointing for Booker to go away.

"What's going on, what's with Shane?" Kennedy asked, looking up from his pencil sketch.

"Who knows?" Jamie just shrugged, continuing his drawing and coloring his paper.

Booker had stomped all the way back to the clearing to see Triple H playing dead and Chris still asleep, "Alright guys, time to lay down some ground rules!" Triple H gave a dying groan at that, Booker just rolled his eyes but continued. "I don't mind repaying a debt since you saved my life in sacrifice at your own bodies, but Triple H you're a strong proud boy, you're sure to be fine by now and heal on your own, and Chris is always sick, he has to learn to toughen up!"

"Hey!" Triple H hadn't been paying attention, Chris had started another coughing fit.

"Oh, ugh!" Booker gnashed his teeth as he went over to Chris, who had stopped and was catching his breath. "Come on, drama queen." Chris was breathing erratically, his chest heaving, he was clenching his neck. "Hey, hey Chris…?" Booker gulped, his expression changing. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's not stopping." Triple H forgot his 'injuries' and got out of bed, approaching them.

"Is he choking?" Booker looked around and saw the splintered stick on the ground, he picked it up and dusted it off.

"AH-A-EM!" Triple H cleared his throat loudly.

"Eh?" Booker glanced up to see Triple H giving him a questionable glance. "Oh, ugh, fine…" Booker dropped it and went to the near empty supply bag to fish out a new stick. "Skip the thematic, I was only kidding…"

"Uh huh…" Triple H rolled his eyes and peered over Booker's shoulder curiously as Booker probed the stick down Chris's throat.

"His throat has swollen up, he can't breathe!"

"Well do something!" Triple H yelled.

Booker scoffed and whirled around, "And what the hell do you want me to do, doctor!?"

"I dunno, but you're the one responsible for this!"

"Eh…?" Booker jolted back.

"You gave Chris the wrong medicine! When you were gone I watched his condition, so you're welcome! I gave him the right medicine, I was trying to be nice! I'll never be nice again, I tell you that…"

"I, uh…" Booker was frozen, he couldn't believe he had done that. He was so angry with having to care for Triple H in order to prove him wrong, that he had forgotten that he really had to take care of Chris. And even moreso... did he just hear right, that Triple H had helped Chris to be nice? "Oh, what have I done, what do I do now…!?"

"Oh calm down." Triple H scoffed, a scowl of arrogance returning to his face. "Just open his mouth so he can breathe, put that sick down his throat like you did before, that should widen his airway up."

"Oh, uh, alright…" Booker nodded, still a little shaky as he shoved the stick hard down on Chris's tongue. "I hope he wakes up, with the lack of oxygen, he's still unconscious."

"Ugh, that's so gross." Triple H frowned. "Look at how beet red and damn swollen his glands are, that's disgusting, and I bet his throat's sore as hell, he's such a brat."

"Maybe…" Booker paused to counter his theory. "But think about it, Chris has always been the youngest and smallest. But he's always trying, and he gets sick so much because he refuses to quit, and he never ever asks for help. Know why?"

"No, why…" Triple H wore a long face.

"Maybe because he's trying to prove himself, not just to everyone else, but to himself. He's trying to get strong on his own without help. You know how Chris is, he can be meek but he always fights back because he wants to get tougher. The smallest dog always has the biggest bark. Why do you think he talks so much and tries to learn so much? He can't get older than us, he can't get bigger than us, so maybe he can become a little know it all whose healthier than us."

"Well that's obviously not working, seeing how stupid he always acts, or how sick he is, again. How lame..." Triple H snorted and winced in disgust as he glanced back down Chris's throat. "Ugh, nasty… I seriously hope this isn't my only memory of my last year at camp."

"Hey don't stomp on my idea."

"Then don't you stop on mine…"

"Ah…" Chris groaned, starting to regain consciousness, his airways had opened wide enough and his tongue was starting to wrestle against the forced feeling down his throat.

"Chris…!" Booker gasped, stepping back as he pulled the stick out soon enough for Chris to not realize what was going on.

"Ugh…" Chris rubbed his head and opened his eyes. "Huh, Booker, what's going on?"

"Ah, you're alright thank goodness!" Booker hugged him.

"Hey, gay, get off me!" Chris scrambled, Triple H just snickered.

"Hey, you seem better."

"Oh." Chris blinked, feeling his forehead. "My fever is almost gone, and my energy is starting to come back." Chris smiled. "Hey I am getting better!" He glanced slyly at the faker Triple H, "And it seems as if you've made a recovery too." He eyed him up and down with a smirk on his face.

"Eh…!" Triple H froze.

"Aha, I knew it, you liar!" Booker pointed an accusing finger at Triple H.

"Ah, I mean, oh, oh…" Triple H limped, then stopped and frowned. "Oh great, thanks a lot, first you show me your tonsils, then you show me up!? Some friend you are, pal. Sell out!" Triple H pouted, turning his back on Chris.

"Huh?" Chris blinked. "I showed you my what…?" He rubbed his sore neck, confused. What had happened while he was out?

"Err, never mind…" Booker shook his head, long story, maybe for another time. "Anyway, we should get back to camp now that you're both doing well, the others will be missing us, and who knows how long the counselors will go before sending out a search party of dogs to find us."

"Like they'd ever miss you." Triple H stalked arrogantly passed Booker. "Come on Chris." He shoved Chris on his shoulder to get him moving, Chris shot a confused and slightly annoyed glance back at Booker but walked off after Triple H.

Booker sighed, "Well thank goodness that's over with, now I'M the one who needs a rest…" He shuffled down the hill after them. "At least nobody will take advantage of me again…" Well, a lesson learned is a lesson learned, after all, it could be worse, he could've had an art lesson...


	32. A Bunker Bed Built For Two

**A/N:** _lol, that was my favorite line too._

"He's going, it's almost there, the fans are on their feet!" Al Snow announced in shock as the crowd cheered wildly, Triple H was charging down the field, flanked by goalie Chris Jericho with Shane Helms following behind the two members of the other team, just in case. "Is it…?" Al gasped as Triple H kicked the ball hard, pelting it towards the opposing net. The goalie, helpless and fearful, hesitated as he went to deflect it, however that cost him, and it was too late, the ball had scored and the horn was sounded. "IT IS! HE DID IT!" The crowd jumped up and down after watching an amazing game of the final soccer match. "Triple H wins, Triple H wins! Team H has won the soccer tournament, giving Triple H the sure lead for the King Of The Camp! What an amazing run, what an amazing game!"

"Triple H! Triple H!" Shane and Chris cheered as they hoisted their leader onto their shoulders, the crowd applauding their hard efforts and a very entertaining final game of the season.

"Yes, bow down to the king, I am your king, a king of kings." Triple H blew out kisses.

"I can't believe he actually did it, that was great!" Jamie Noble clapped.

"I can…" Booker T and Ken Kennedy grumbled, now Triple H was practically guaranteed to win King Of The Camp. Camp was almost over and there would maybe be one time for one more competition, but Booker T wasn't so sure. The weather reports weren't too positive, and if mother nature would have it, a powerful wind and rain storm would hit the last week, and with no final event to determine a true winner, he had already lost, the new king would in fact end up being Triple H.

That night…

"Ugh…" Chris was tossing and turning, he was completely worn out from such a rigorous game, and plus he still wasn't fully better. The wind was rattling the cabin and howling through the trees, the window was closed but you couldn't tell from the noise. "Ah…!" Chris groaned as the rain began to fall, it fell loud and hard on the roof, driven against the walls, the trees dropping large drops from the whipping wind. "Enough already!" Chris cried, throwing his pillow. Usually he would love the rain, but not when his body was sore and his head was pounding.

"Can't sleep either huh."

"Eh?" Chris turned to see Booker T sitting up in bed.

"Well I neither can I, and I don't blame you." Booker sighed. "Man, mother nature sure must be pissed."

"Yeah, I guess." Chris cleared his throat, his voice a bit shaky from his nerves.

"I mean it's been a weird summer, it's been really hot, freezing cold, sudden storms, incredible winds, thick fog, hard rain, dark clouds, I mean what's next?" Before Booker T could finish, a flash lit up the sky, followed by a rolling boom of thunder. "Oh. Well, never mind then, heh…"

"Oh, great." Chris rolled his eyes. "How could this be worse?" It was about to get worse.

A huge gust of wind slammed a flimsy falling tree branch against the window, shattering the glass as a slew of rain flew onto the nearest bed, which was Chris's, drenching it and covering it with leaves, at the same time, the broken branch flew across the room and hit Booker's bed, hard. They both cried out, Booker had leaped out of his bed in time, Chris fell on the floor, soaking wet and dirty, both of their hearts pounding a mile a minute.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright!?" Jamie snapped awake.

"Book!" Kennedy gasped, seeing Booker in a heap up against the door.

"What's going on guys?" Shane looked around confused and alert.

"The storm." Booker stammered, swallowing to regain his composure. "The wind broke a branch against the window, it flew in and landed on my bed, the rain and dirt and leaves all landed on Chris and his bed." He looked around the room. "But it looks like we're all okay at least."

"Yeah." Chris panted, still really shaken, and shivering in cold rain, he let out a sneeze.

"Ah shut up guys, go back to bed!" Triple H growled in his sleep and threw his spare pillow, it landing right in Chris's face in the process, he just groaned at the irony.

The next morning…

"Oh my God!" Spike Dudley shouted as he looked at the damaged cabin, it had stopped raining and the wind had died down by sunrise, but clouds still hung in the air, cold and dark, looking ready to burst with any sudden wind off the ocean.

"DAMN!" Farooq's comment was quite well suited for the situation.

"What happened?" Al came rushing over and gasped, the two beds were completely destroyed, as was the window, the entire cabin was a mess. Booker had a few scrapes and cuts on his arm from where the sticks of the branch had cut him, and a large bruise below his knee, and Chris's illness had relapsed. "This is horrible, what are we going to do?"

"Those two beds are beyond saving." Spike looked them over carefully. "The window can be fixed, but we'll have to hurry, the sky could open up any moment now."

"But what about us?" Booker asked. "Where are we supposed to live?"

"Well." Al paused. "We do have one spare cot, and the girls cabin is empty, so you guys could share it in there since there wouldn't be much room in your main cabin."

"What!?" Booker and Chris cried.

"Don't worry, it's only temporary. And hey, there's only about a week left in camp anyway, it's not that bad, right?" Spike shrugged.

"Uh…" Booker grimaced as Chris bit his lip.

"Come on, it'd be great! It'd be like two best buddies going out camping and having a sleep over!" Kennedy grinned, but Chris and Booker exchanged frowns, they were not so sure.

Later…

"Alright, all of my stuff is moved now." Booker set down his box of stuff.

"I don't think we had to move all of our stuff over, seeing as this probably won't be for long." Chris replied, he was lying down on the cot, his face very pale. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"With what?"

"Well, with this." Chris sat up slowly. "I mean, sharing this cot, I mean yeah it's big but, I'm sick and all, and, well you know… it just seems like it's kinda weird, that's all."

"Well, you're not contagious, and again like you said it's not forever. Besides, we never get quality time together, this might be fun, like Kennedy said, right?" Booker sat down on the other end of the cot.

"Well, yes I guess it could be…"

"Great! So…. Could you move over?" Booker shoved Chris nearly off the bed.

"Hey, what gives!?"

"I'm tired, I didn't sleep either last night."

"Well I'm sick, I need my rest more, plus I played soccer. I'm tired!"

"Well I need my beauty sleep, so go cat nap somewhere else!" Booker pulled the cover off Chris and lay down. "Good night, err, day."

"Feh, gay..." Chris snorted.

"Are not." Booker rubbed his nose in victory.

Chris stalked off, "Nice to know where you're friends stand, err, lay. With dogs!"

Meanwhile…

"So we should have some extra leg room in the cabin now that we have two less people to worry about." Triple H stretched his arms, they were eating lunch in the cafeteria.

"Don't say that, they're our friends, and Chris was your teammate." Kennedy frowned.

"Yeah, whatever…" Triple H muttered carelessly as he took a bite of food.

Kennedy pouted, "Well Booker is my best friend, so I'm worried about them."

"Why" Jamie tilted his head slightly.

"Well, Booker is my best friend, I know what he's like. I also know how Chris is, so I don't think it will be long before they get on each other's nerves."

"Why do you say that?" Shane asked.

"Trust me, those two have never had quality time together to learn enough about each other's quirks or flaws or traits, so I'm going to check up on them every now and then, just to make sure things are okay."

"Eh, you worry too much." Triple H snickered with a smirk. "I think they'll be just fine."

However…

"There…" Chris was brushing his hair in the mirror. "That looks much better. Ah." He smiled, satisfied with his appearance. "Just because I feel like crap, doesn't mean I should look like it."

"AHA HAH!" Booker laughed loudly.

"Huh? Err…" Chris scowled as he turned to see Booker watching sports outtakes on a small TV that sat on the dresser, it was a soccer game with people getting humiliated and hurt. Booker laughed loudly again, Chris growled, it was starting to annoy him. "Hey, do you mind?"

"Oh, sorry, can you hear, wanna watch?" Booker turned up the volume.

"Ugh…" Chris flinched, his head was still throbbing. "No, can you keep it down?"

"What?"

"I said keep it down!" Chris yelled, only to end up coughing.

"No, I heard you, why do you want me to turn it down? I'm having fun."

"Well I'm having a headache." Chris rubbed his forehead.

"Well that's no fun."

"Ugh…! No duh! " Chris turned red in the face.

"What is it, something wrong?"

"YES! I'm sick!"

"What! Again?"

"…..!" Chris was frozen, he did not know how to react to Booker's surprised response. They both continued to look at each other until another loud injury outtake happened.

"Ah, awesome, ha hah!" Booker went back to laughing, Chris snarled to himself.

Later…

"Man, some girls, they sure left a bunch of dust and dirt behind." Chris muttered as he finished sweeping the floor, he had spent an hour cleaning up the cabin, it had been stuffy from not being used in so long and it was making him sneeze. "Whew, now that was a workout, all in all, I'd much rather play soccer, heh." He wiped his brow.

"Hey Chris!" Booker walked in.

"Hi, where've you been?"

"Hey you look like you belong in here!"

"Huh?"

"In the girls cabin, look, you're cleaning, hah!" Booker laughed.

"Uh…!" Chris couldn't help but blush, so he looked away and his eyes fixed on the floor. "Ah!"

"What." Booker paused.

"Look, your shoes! You tracked wet sand all over the floor, ugh!" Chris frowned. "I just cleaned that."

"Why are you cleaning anyway? We won't be in here long, just leave it dirty."

"I just so happen… ACHOO…. to be sick, thank you."

"Oh yeah? Still? Huh, that sucks, sorry about that, heh." Booker smirked, Chris just frowned, a growl in his chest. "Hey, take it easy, forget about cleaning up, the place is fine. Why don't we just relax, hang out, kick back?" Booker shoved Chris onto the cot.

"Oh, alright, well, yeah, that'd be nice." Chris smiled as Booker sat down next to him.

"Great!" Booker put in another tape and turned on the TV.

"Aw, not more sports outtakes!"

"No, these are world's stupidest stunt injuries, ha!"

"Ah…!" Chris groaned, not another blooper reel. "One of these days, I'm gonna make my own reel, yeah, and it'll be a highlight reel. You just wait and see."

"Huh?" Booker turned slightly. "Oh sorry Chris, I didn't hear you, you say something?"

Chris sighed, "No, not at all…" A guy on the movie screamed, Booker just laughed.

That night…

"Hey Chris?"

"Yeah?" Chris looked up from reading.

"Look, why don't you take the bed tonight. I know, you're still tired and all from soccer, and I don't want to be responsible for making you sicker than you already are, so why don't you use it and get a nice good rest."

"What, really?" Chris was wide eyed in shock. Booker nodded, and Chris beamed, "Wow thanks man! Ha!" Chris got up and got into the bed, stretching out on his back. "Oh yeah, this feels awesome, ah."

Booker chuckled to himself, amused, and smiled, "I can't sleep tonight anyway, I'll just keep myself busy, I won't bug you." He turned to go off and do his own thing. "Well, good night then Chris."

"Hey, hey Booker!" Chris cried, sitting up.

"What, what is it?" Booker whirled around, thinking something was wrong.

Chris just smirked meekly, "Thanks, man…"

Booker smiled, relieved, "Well, sure, no prob." He saluted and walked off.

"Ah…" Chris snuggled under the cover and soon fell fast asleep.

Only, it didn't last much to long…

"AH HAH HA!"

"AH!" Chris cried as he was jolted awake.

"Oh man!" Booker was laughing again.

"What in the…!" Chris looked around to see a glow in the corner of the room where Booker had moved the television, he was watching another loud tape. "Ugh…" Chris groaned, putting the pillow over his head and coaxing himself on, "Come on, Booker was only trying to be nice. You know him, he's doing his best, take it easy. He gave you the bed, so you can give him the TV."

"HA HAH!"

"Come on, Chris, come on…" Chris snarled through gritted teeth. "Be fair, just try and get some rest… you can do it, cough, cough…"

"HAH!"

"Come on, Chris, cough, come on…" Chris was starting to twitch angrily.

"HA!"

"AH!" Chris threw off the blanket and got out of bed, stalking slowly and silently towards Booker, who was engrossed off in his own world. Chris's eyes were red with sleep loss and rage, his muscles flexed and rippling like a fierce wild animal, his body shook as he opened his mouth into a snarl, throwing his arms out to the side and cracking his fingers into fists as he got up right behind Booker, growling angrily as he felt the fumes of adrenaline scourge within him.

"Eh?" Booker turned around, sensing Chris's presence nearing. "Oh hey Chris, what's up, want to watch some more with me huh?"

"Booker! It's the middle of the night!" Chris hissed, baring his teeth.

"Yeah, so?"

"SO!?"

"Well I told you, I can't sleep tonight."

"Well neither can I!"

"What, something wrong with the bed?"

"Ugh…!" Chris slumped to the ground, his body completely trained, he started coughing again.

"Hey, hey, okay, come on, back to bed with you now." Booker helped him stand up and they walked back over to the bed. "I get it, am I keeping you up?"

"Uh…"

"I'll turn it down alright, I didn't mean anything by it, I'm sorry. I just figured, you like loud music, so loud TV wouldn't phase you." He picked up the cover and put it over Chris. "There."

"Thanks…" Chris sighed. "No, I'm sorry, Book. I shouldn't be such a prick just cause I'm still out of it."

"Hey, just forget it. Tomorrow we'll start over again fresh, okay?"

Chris blinked for a moment and then smiled, "Yeah, that's a good idea, I'd like that."

"Great, now go back to sleep now, and I'll see you in the morning." Booker waved off as he went back to the TV and turned it down. Chris smiled to himself, and went to sleep.

The next morning…

"Five bucks says they've killed each other!" Shane cried.

"Three bucks says Booker killed Chris!" Jamie laughed.

"No way, two bucks says Chris killed Booker!" Kennedy shook his head.

"Wait, why are we getting lower in denominations?" Jamie paused.

"One buck says, shut the hell up." Triple H growled as he tried to eat breakfast.

"Hey look, we all lost, here they come!" Shane pointed.

"Huh? Hey guys!"

"Hey!" Chris and Booker waved as they came over with their food.

"So you made it through the night, huh?" Kennedy laughed.

"Well we had a rough time, the day seemed to take forever, but, we did it." Chris winked.

"Hey, it wasn't THAT bad was it?" Booker chuckled.

"Yeah, right, sure it wasn't!" Chris punched him lightly in the arm, they both laughed.

Kennedy smiled, "It's great to see that things worked out, I was worried about you a bit."

"Well for a sec yeah, we had to work through some things at first, but hey, we're friends, so of course we made it work out." Booker said with a proud nod.

"Yeah, it's no big deal, after all, like he said, we're friends, we know each other well."

"So you were able to put up with him huh?" Triple H muttered to Chris.

"No, if anything, he was the one to have to put up with me." Chris grimaced slightly.

"Nah, you were great, I'm sorry if I was hard to deal with." Booker turned to him.

"I was worried I was the problem, you know, with me being sick and all."

"I thought my being loud and joking around with you would drive you to the edge."

"Well, anyway, so long as it all worked out, and both of you are okay, I've got news." Kennedy spoke up with a grin.

"Yeah?" Booker and Chris turned, perked up.

"Al and Spike and Farooq worked all day to fix the sleeping situation, they fixed your bed Chris with a smaller spare that they could fit in the cabin, and Booker you could use the cot if they move it back into the cabin. You know, just for the last few days of camp, so it shouldn't be that bad." Kennedy explained. "What do you guys think, are you ready to come back?"

"Well…" Chris and Booker glanced at each other.

"I did love Booker's loud joking."

"And I did love Chris's loud coughing…"

They both laughed, "Well I guess we're ready to come home!"

"Yay!" Jamie and Shane cheered.

"Well, now that that's all settled… can we eat in peace!?" Triple H yelled.

"Yes…" Kennedy chuckled and slipped him a dollar.

So they finished their breakfast happily, together again. Booker and Chris shot a glance and grinned at each other. Their friendship had been stretched to the test as they grew weary of the other, only to find problems with sharing lives with each other in such close quarters. But in the end, not only did their friendship last and survive, but it had grown stronger.


	33. Wasted Time

With the camp winding down and the final weekend looming just ahead, the campers and counselors can't help but wonder, what will the future hold? With so many cuts this summer alone, would there be another camp next year, would there be enough kids interested and money supplied? Spike Dudley sighed as he cleaned up the cafeteria, mopping the floor, wiping off the tables and finishing what was left of the major dishes. As he looked at the not so messy mess hall, he stood up the mop and leaned his chin on it in reminiscing. He had been coming to help out here ever since he graduated high school, that was when he was 18, and now he was 21. With one last glance around he realized, that this could be it, his summer job would be over and now he'd have to go out and leave college to find a real job.

"Heh, kinda funny…" He smirked with a chuckle to himself.

Al Snow had checked and double checked the inventory and supply shed with what was left, making sure nothing on the camp site had been damaged, other than the one cabin ruined with minor repair due to the sudden storm. Nothing was missing from anywhere else on the camp, and everything was returned to order just as it had been when they had come off the boat. He looked around and glanced up at the sun, hanging high in the sky. He sighed to himself and closed his eyes, listening to the wind rustle through the trees in the forest that lay behind him. He wondered, would this be the last time he stood here? He took it all in, for perhaps one last time.

"Heh, kinda sad…." He smirked with a sigh to himself.

Farooq had the tedious task of organizing the campers to clean up the beach, not the active environmentalist, but he didn't want any reason for Hillybilly Jim or Earl Hebner to revoke their support and financing of the camp, even if it was for one dirty rock or piece of trash in the sand. It had been a long and hard job, but the campers had finished and returned to their cabins to tidy up there. Farooq stood on the clean beach and listened to the waves crash on the sand. He wasn't from a coastal community in southern Texas, so he enjoyed what little time he was able to spend here, even if it was 'babysitting' campers. But he too realized what the others all feared, that this could very well be the final summer camp. Of course, he only had one thing to say to that…

"Damn…."

Kurt Angle and Kane were up in the hills walking along, not for any real reason, other than not wanting to contribute to the clean up. Frankly it had been a dull year, they couldn't care less if they didn't have to come back here. Both of their parents had forced them to come, even though they were too old for 'stupid kiddy camp' and were bored and had a hard time coming up with new ways to torment the new group of campers. Still, they realized that next year they might not have to complain, next year there might not be a camp. They paused to reflect.

"Huh, kinda ironic isn't it…" Kurt smirked to himself with a nod.

"No, not really…" Kane muttered quietly, shaking his head. Kurt just frowned at him.

Back at the cabin, Jamie Noble was sweeping the outside, Shane Helms was airing out the bedding, and Chris Jericho and Triple H were helping tidy up the repairs done to the cabin due to the storm. But inside, Booker T and Ken Kennedy had the worst and most tedious job of all…

"KEN!" Booker roared.

"Yeah?" Ken glanced up.

"Look at this placed, it's a sty!"

"I've got a sty?" Ken stat up in a jolt and felt his face.

"You are a pig!"

"I'm a pig with a sty….?"

"KENNEDY!"

"What…!?"

"Listen to me!"

"I am, and you're not making any sense!"

Booker twitched, silent for a moment to try and calm down, "This place is a filthy mess, and it's all your doing!"

"Why thank you."

"….that's not a compliment…"

"Well then what of it then?"

"Clean it up! We're all working and busting our buts to fix up the camp, we only have three days left you know!"

"Yeah, I'm pooped too. Can't it wait?"

"No, this place hasn't necessarily been nice and tidy during our stay anyway. Yes we're kids, but you're a slob!"

"Book…"

"I'm serious, will you please just do this one thing for me? That's all I ask for you today, no, for the rest of camp! Please, just help me out here….?" Desperate, Booker's voice cracked as he put his hands together in a pleading payer.

Kennedy stared at Booker for a moment, then started to chuckle, "Sure man, don't get your dreads in a knot, I'll help you out, sure don't worry about it."

Booker let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, thank you…" He felt like he would crumple into an exhausted heap. He stood up, "Anyway, I'll be back in like a half an hour, I need to go help Al and Spike with something." He waved as he walked out of the cabin, he let out a sigh of relief and glanced up at the roof to where Chris and Triple H were hard at work.

Triple H was hammering some panels when he stopped to sigh with anguish and rotate his stiff shoulders, "Oh, I don't know why I even need to do this. I'm the king of the camp, for crying out loud! Ugh…"

"Hey, you're not one to complain." Chris groaned through a mouth full of holding nails, clearing his throat. "I'm still sick!"

Back inside, Kennedy looked around, "Now let's see, where should I start…." He picked up a piece of paper but let out a hiss. "Ah, paper cut!" He bent back down with an annoyed groan, only to hear his back pop. "Oh, I'm a little stiff… better lay down." He went back into bed.

Later…

"AH! KENNEDY!"

"Uh, what…?" Kennedy gurgled, coming out of a deep sleep to see Booker fuming.

"The cabin is even more a mess now than when I left! What the hell happened?"

"I swear, I didn't do anything!" Kennedy jumped up, holding up his hands in his defiance.

"Exactly, you didn't do a thing!"

"Huh…?"

"Ken…" Booker sighed, rubbing the bride of his nose to try and calm down. "Look, you're my best friend. I don't want to have to get upset with you, but we need your help. You can't be so careless and carefree and lazy, we're your friends, can't you see that we need a hand?"

"Alright, alright, I get it… didn't we have this conversation a few months ago?"

"Yes, I think Chris was there too… want me to get him and ask him?"

"No, no, that's fine." Kennedy chuckled. "I don't see what you're getting all upset over just a little bit of trash." He dusted off the bed, causing some candy wrappers to fall on the floor.

Booker picked them up, "Yes, but if everyone was like you, the world would be a much dirtier place, and it's a small world Ken."

"What are you now, an environmentalist…?" Kennedy chuckled, raising a brow.

Booker was flabbergasted, "What, why I never! How dare you!" He stomped off, annoyed.

Kennedy giggled, "Well that got to him, it got him to go, heh." He looked around and frowned. "I don't know what he's getting so hot about a messy cabin and some trash…" He groaned, feeling a bit annoyed now himself. He sat down to glance around, the conversation today reminded him of the one he'd had with him and Chris not too long ago…

'I tell ya man, I'm warning you…' Booker had frowned at Kennedy. 'You've got a bad littering habit and laziness towards cleaning up.'

'Hey come on, I'm just carefree….' Kennedy had replied.

'More like careless!' Chris barked back.

'Ken, you can't be so lazy when it comes to chores and cleaning up and stuff.' Booker nodded.

'Take it easy fellas….'

'It's a small island, it's a beautiful place. I'd hate to lose it and never come to camp again just because one punk didn't want to take care of the place around himself.' Booker snorted.

'Come on, what are you guys environmentalists or something…?'

'What!' Chris snarled.

'How dare you say that, the nerve!' Booker turned and stomped off, Chris in tow.

'That got em alright, got em going, heh!' Kennedy laughed to himself.

'He's hopeless…' He had heard Chris say to Booker as they stalked off.

Back in reality, Kennedy sighed to himself, "Well, maybe they have a point… I'm sure I'm not the only one like this, there are lots of people like me, and so what…?" He paused to think. "Wait, if there are more like me, that means something bad could happen to a small island like this! If too many people litter and don't keep the world clean, we're gonna kill animals and destroy forests, and soon there won't be a world!" Kennedy began to pace, telling himself things like that, that he was destroying the planet and killing the environment, and that he was a dirty person and it was all his fault, and something bad would happen to the island if he didn't stop, and if everyone else like him kept it up, soon the world would be gone as well! "A great travesty will be fall us all!" He paused in fear. "Oh no, oh no…! I'm an environmentalist…! Wah!"

"Hey did you hear something?" Chris paused and glanced around.

"Only the sound of you screaming…" Triple H smirked.

"Huh? But I never…" Chris couldn't finish, Triple H shoved him so that he slipped off the roof. "AH!" He landed with a thud and an 'oof' and a groan. Triple H just laughed.

Booker had walked back just in time to see, glancing up at the roof to see Triple H turn away and try to look nonchalant, so Booker shrugged, "Meh…" And he went back inside. "Hey Ken…"

"Booker!"

He looked around and frowned again, "You still haven't done anything, have you…"

"Book!"

"What…" He blinked, confused at the concern in Kennedy's voice and the desperation strained on his face. "What is it…?"

"It's all my fault, what have I done!? I swear it, I swear I'll change, please!" He fell to his knees, pulling and tugging on Booker's shirt.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, what happened, what is it?" He looked around.

"What's going on…?" Chris groaned as he stiffly walked in, hearing the commotion inside.

"Chris, oh you're such a good friend!" Kennedy sobbed as he jumped from Booker to him, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him violently. "You tried to warn me, you just wanted to help me, you really did, I'm so sorry!"

"AH!" Chris cried as Kennedy unknowingly strangled his friend.

"Let him go Ken, let him go!" Booker rushed over to intervene and pull them apart, only to have Kennedy latch back onto him, letting Chris fall on the floor. "Get a grip man, get a hold of yourself!" Finally Kennedy stopped to catch his breath. "There, take it easy. Now, what's up?"

"You guys both, you're such good friends, you were warning me because you cared, you wanted to help me, but it's too late, I swear I'll change now, maybe I can still make a difference!"

Booker was silent, he shot a glance with Chris who was still sitting on the ground, then turned back to Kennedy, "And…? What, how…"

"Well for starters I'm gonna clean up the whole cabin, all of it, yeah, by myself. I promise!" Kennedy stood tall, pounding a fist on his chest.

"Okay…" Booker blinked, not believing him, but too tired to care. "I guess being alone with your thoughts for long enough can change anyone. Come on Chris, I'll take you to the nurse, or something…" He frankly just wanted to leave. He grabbed Chris by the collar and pulled him off behind him.

"No, no I'm fine, I'll walk it off, I… gargh…." He fought valiantly, but lost due to the choking.

"Alright, now to get started!" He grabbed a trash can and a small hand held broom that had a duster on the other end of the handle. "I've got a lot more work to do if I want to make the world a better, and cleaner place. So I'd better hurry, this is just one little room!" With a battle cry he attacked the messy cabin, sweeping and dusting feverishly, only he was so mind set with determination, he wasn't even paying attention to what he was doing, he was making even more of a mess, making trash out of things that weren't even junk, and even breaking a window by accident without even realizing it. On the roof, Triple H paused upon hearing the commotion and let out a yowl of disgust as soon as he heard the broken window. Finally Kennedy had 'finished' his work' and stopped to take a look at the results, "There, all done…" He closed his eyes to catch his breath, then opened them and froze. "Uh oh…" He held his breath as he looked around the room. "Oh man…!"

"You made it worse!" Chris's cry was heard in the doorway.

Booker barged in, "Kennedy, you made the cabin worse!"

"What were you acting careless again?" Chris snarled.

"No, I…!"

"Were you slacking off again?" Booker frowned.

"No, I swear I…!"

"You made a big mess of everything!" Chris hissed.

"No I didn't, I…!"

"You broke that window, I'm gonna have to fix it!" Triple H roared, appearing in the doorway next to Chris. "This is not the way a king should spend his reign in his kingdom!"

"NO!" Kennedy took off running, shoving through them and out the door. The three turned and watched him go, each wearing a blank face of confusion and glancing at each other.

"Well that was odd…" Jamie blinked and shrugged to himself as he watched Kennedy run off in the distance.

"Oh man they're right, what a fool I am, what have I done?" Kennedy thought as he ran. He was so engorsed in his own thoughts that again he wasn't watching where he was going and what he was doing, he tripped over a large root that was sticking out of the ground, and with a cry he fell face first into the dirt. "Ah, oh man…" He half sobbed half groaned to himself as lay there for a moment, finally he sat up and rolled over so he sat on the root, head in hands as he thought. "Man I really messed up." He stared up at the blue cloudless sky in deep thought. He looked off for what seemed like hours, and finally came to a conclusion, "No, it's never too late. So I messed up, but things can be fixed. I can still make a difference, just you wait and see guys!" He stood up, his face brimming with determination once more as he ran back to the cabin. By the time he got there, it was still the same filthy mess, but everyone had gone. He glanced at his watch, "Oh perfect, it's just about lunch time. While everyone eats, I'll clean, and they'll come back and be so surprised, heh, oh they'll feel so bad when they realized they were wrong about me." He rolled up his sleeves and dug into his work. "Yeah, I'll show em…"He snickered as he dusted and cleaned the windows. "They'll see, oh yeah…" He swept the dust and mopped the floors. "They were wrong about me alright…" He put everything away in the dressers and fixed the beds. "I'm a new Ken, a new Kennedy." He nodded to himself as he threw out all of the trash. "There…" After a half hour of work, he wiped his brow with satisfaction as he looked at the clean and sparkly cabin. "All in all, that felt pretty good. Heh, guess I owe Chris and Book an apology. But still, maybe I was wrong about myself too…" He turned to go outside, and as soon as he stepped out the door he let out a horrified cry. "Whoa, what the… oh no, no way, this is impossible, it can't be real!" He stammered as the rest of the camp still lay trashed and a messy junk heap. "I can't be too late, I have to save the island, the world will be ruined, the forest will die, and the ocean will be polluted!" He looked at the sky he stared up at earlier, it had gone from bright blue to dingy silver. "No, I can do it, I can save the planet!" He took off into the sea of mess that lay on the beach and started to throw away the trash and clean up. It took him at least an hour but he finally got things back to normal. "All clean, looks even tidier than before, heh." He turned around with a sigh of relief but froze and let out another horrified scream. The forest was a mess, it looked like a dump, the trees limbs were cracked and breaking, and he couldn't even see up into the hills, it was a dark trash heap. "No, this can't be, this isn't possible! Every time I try, no matter what I do, it won't help, I can't fix it, it won't come clean! AH!" He couldn't clean anymore, he couldn't fix this mess, this junk heap of trash. "I couldn't do it in time, I couldn't save it after all. This is all my fault, what is wrong with you people, don't be like me, I don't even want to be like me! It's real, it's all real! I caused global warming!"

"Ken… Ken, Ken. KEN!"

"AH!" Kennedy sat up in a jolt.

"Ken are you alright?" Booker asked.

"Book! Oh Booker it was awful." Kennedy shivered, his eyes glassy with confused fear. "I destroyed the island, no matter how hard I cleaned up the cabin and the beach, I couldn't save the forest. The sky went dark and the world was ending, I'm killing the planet, everybody is destroying the environment. Global warming is real, and it's all my fault!"

Booker and Chris shot each other a glance, then Chris turned back to Ken, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Hey wait, why are you still here…?" Kennedy looked around to see that everything was fine and normal. "What happened, where's all the trash?"

Chris smirked, "You must've hit your head Ken, it was all just a dream."

"And a strange horrible one at that too, heh." Booker chuckled.

"It wasn't, real…?" Kennedy was confused, it felt so real, he was so scared, and still was.

"But, it looks like you learned your lesson." Booker smiled.

"Come on, you're only one man, you can't destroy the world, but you can help us clean the cabin. So how about it?" Chris held out his hand.

Kennedy stared up at them blankly for a moment, then smiled and took Chris's hand, "Yeah." Chris pulled Kennedy up and he dusted himself off and they walked back to camp. "You know guys, it was such a bad dream, it seemed so real."

"Those are the worst." Booker laughed.

Kennedy smirked back at his friends, but frowned with a thoughtful sigh as he looked back up at the sky, the same bright blue sky he had seen in his dream. He was so horrified to see nature taking its toll on the island, almost out of revenge for what Kennedy had done all these years to the planet. He shut his eyes, he couldn't forget what he had seen, even if it wasn't real. It couldn't have been all just a dream, it was so frighteningly real, maybe it was a warning. He had never believed in that whole global warming scam, but after seeing the water rise and drown the camp, the hills full of dead trees split open to swallow the island whole, sure it wouldn't be like that, but what could really happen if global warming came to be? Kennedy didn't want to find out, he promised himself he would change, and he would do it. He'd make sure that global warming wouldn't happen, and if he couldn't prevent it, he could at least save his friends.


	34. Triple Nice

**A/N:** _Just one more chapter left after this one, I'm still debating doing a reunion 'one year later' chapter... but I doubt I will heh. sorry_

The final weekend had finally come upon the summer camp, in the mornings, the fog would be thick and hang low and late into the morning. The winds were getting cooler off the ocean as the season got ready to change into the fall, when the start of a new school year would begin. There weren't any more camp activities left, and after cleaning up it would be a shame to ruin it with a new mess. Triple H had officially been announced as the king of the camp. So the campers were free to enjoy the island and beach for the last weekend and do as they pleased. Many of the campers didn't live by the beach, so they spent their time by the water to enjoy the last of the summer sun on the island. But for some, time was spent up in the hills, with a nice and simple game of hide and seek.

"Alright, I'm it, so now I have to count to 15…" Jamie Noble walked up to a tree, closed his eyes and began to count. Ken Kennedy, Booker T and Shane Helms took off running. "One, two, three, four, five…" Kennedy dove into a pile of rocks and logs. "Six, seven, eight, nine, ten…" Booker climbed up into a tree and hid among the leaves and vines hanging off the branches. "Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen!" Shane had just enough time to jump into a huge shrub of bushes. "Ready or not, here I come!" Jamie jumped into the clearing and looked around. "Ah, I hate being it, I'm never good when it comes to finding things." He looked and looked but after two or three minutes he still couldn't find a single one.

"What's the matter, I thought an elephant never forgot?"

"Huh?" Jamie turned to see Triple H strut snobbish into view. "Oh Triple H, hi."

"What's the matter, lose your head?" He snickered to himself.

"No, I'm playing hide and seek with the others and… hey, what's with that elephant crack? I'm not fat, hell you're bigger than I am!"

"Feh." Triple H snorted. "I've got a bigger brain as well. If you would even TRY and look around for a few seconds, you'd realize they haven't gone too far." He paced around for a moment and glanced at his surroundings, smirking back at Jamie as he headed towards a large bush. "See these shrubs?" He slowly raised one leg and then jumped onto them.

"AH!" Shane squeaked as Triple H crushed him, causing him to roll out of the bushes.

"The rare Shane snake shrub, everyone! Watch as he slithers on the ground." He glanced up at a tree. "And the monkey on these vines just happens to be…" He yanked hard on the vines.

"AH!" Booker fell hard onto the ground, scattering fallen leaves around him. "Ouch!"

"The stupid Booker ape, no balance in that act." He quietly crept towards the pile of logs and rocks. "And the legendary stone faced Kennedy tends to lay like a log." He kicked the top layer of the pile to reveal Kennedy.

"Hey, that hurt." Kennedy rubbed his head.

"Thanks for the help, Triple H!" Jamie smiled.

"Yeah, thanks a lot…" Shane, Booker and Kennedy grumbled.

"So am I still it?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, you didn't find us, he did, and he's not playing. So no, it doesn't count." Shane frowned.

"Come on, what are you, 9? This isn't grade school, though some of you are pretty elementary." Triple H snickered slyly.

"Why are you always such a jerk, you know I don't think I've ever seen you nice." Shane snorted.

Triple H picked up a bundle of thick twigs and easily snapped it in half, "That's because I'm NOT nice…"

"You got that right." Booker and Kennedy rolled their eyes, mumbling to the other.

"I don't believe it, I think everybody has good and evil in them, even you, the meanest of all, can be good Triple H." Jamie replied. "Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not there."

"What, like Santa?" Triple H scoffed.

"Santa's fake…!?" Shane gasped.

"Shane…" Jamie sighed, then turned back to Triple H. "I wager if we follow you all day today, we would see you be nice at least once."

"I bet you're wrong." Triple H growled. "In fact, I know you're wrong."

"Then let's make it official." Booker spoke up.

"Yeah, if you lose then you have to help Spike do the dishes." Kennedy said.

"Fine, if you lose, and I'm sure you losers will, then you guys have to be my slaves for the weekend." Triple H just rattled off something off the top of his head, after all if they were his slaves, he could make them do whatever he wanted later on. "Okay?"

"Deal." They nodded.

"Good, so let's go." Triple H stalked off, annoyed at being followed, but he would be glad to shut them all up once and for all and end this summer camp on a high note. "You'll see, there isn't a shred of kindness within me." He growled to himself.

"There just has to be something nice about him…" Jamie was whispering.

"Yeah, but I mean everyone in camp, or at school, hell, everyone in the world treats him with respect." Shane sighed quietly.

"Probably even his family." Booker muttered under his breath.

"They all back down to him and submit because they all think he's a jerk, I mean look at the way he treats his friends, like Chris." Kennedy mumbled just loud enough for them to hear.

"Aha, my first victim…" Triple H snarled gleefully as he saw a burly looking kid who had wandered off the camp, he was digging in the dirt, throwing rocks and thrashing in the bushes. The gang watched as Triple H stalked his prey like a tiger, finally with a booming voice he attacked, "HEY!"

"Huh!" The boy turned around startled, he looked like a typical freckle faced bully.

"So what, you think you own this island or something, you're the king of the jungle, up on your high horse? This is my territory, only I can do as I please." He lowered his voice and his face grew dark. "And what I want to do right now is kick you weak, pathetic ass."

"WAH!" The boy turned tail and fled.

Triple H laughed and stood tall, "Hah, yeah that's what I thought! He didn't even want to stand and fight, he couldn't even look at me!" While Triple H boasted to no one in particular, the four friends crept over to see what exactly the boy had been doing.

"Hey, Trips?" Kennedy spoke up.

"Eh?" Triple H glanced over his shoulder.

"Look, it's a family of raccoons! The mother was protecting her babies from that punk who was attacking them out of fun, what a jerk." Booker scoffed.

"They're so cute, who would want to tease those little babies?" Jamie cooed.

"You were a hero, Triple H!" Shane cheered.

Triple H just stared dumbfounded and glanced down to see the mother raccoon and her babies chirping up gratefully at him, "What… the…!?" They trotted off back up into the hills.

"Aw, they were thanking you. Hah. You're a nice guy!" Jamie cheered.

"We win!" Shane clapped.

"NO!" Triple H roared. "That was a fluke, how did I know they were there?"

"Intuition…?" Booker shrugged, he and Kennedy laughed.

"Shut up!" He snarled and stalked off. "Come on, that doesn't count, I just needed to warm up."

"Alright." Kennedy rolled his eyes with a smirk and the four followed Triple H once more.

As Triple H stalked on he paused, his head jolting up, "Hey what was that sound?" He looked around and stepped forward, fixing his ears on the sound and as they got closer, the others could finally detect what it was. "Aha, my next victim." He sneered.

"Huh?" Jamie got a glance at what he was looking at, a lost little crying girl. "Oh no, Triple H no…"

"Come on, she's scared." Shane pleaded. "Be a hero!"

"Please, if she's scared now, she'll die of fright when she sees me." Triple H crept forward quickly and silently, leaving the others standing huddled behind in shock.

"Wah, wah." The girl continued to cover her teary eyes.

"BOO!" Triple H scooped her up. "I got you now you brat, you're mine!"

"Ah!" The girl opened her round eyes wide in shock as Triple H jumped up onto a large boulder with her in his arms. "Wee!"

"Hey, cut that out you kid!" Triple H snapped and jumped back down on the ground, letting her fall onto the floor, but she wasn't crying anymore, now she was laughing, thinking it was all fun and games. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"Huh?" Triple H froze upon hearing a new voice repeat what he had just said, only it was an older voice, and a female voice. He turned his head only to have it slammed back around due to a large, heavy purse to the face. "OW!"

"Mommy, mommy!" The girl giggled.

"How dare you, brute." The mother scooped up her daughter and stomped off.

"What in the…!?" Triple H rubbed the sore spot, starting to get dark red. The friends all burst out laughing, causing Triple H to frown with humiliation and frustration. He roared with rage as he stomped before them. "That was a mistake, how was I supposed to know her stupid angry mother was going to attack me?"

"Oh ignore the mom, I think the little girl liked you." Booker teased.

"You've got a girlfriend, hah!" Kennedy joked, making Triple H's eye twitch with rage.

"Talk about a bad two out of three." Jamie jabbed Shane, who winked back.

"Enough!" Triple H whirled around, turning his back to them. "I'll show you, I'll show you yet, this isn't over! Trust me, I won't be doing the dishes tonight." His eye sparkled as he walked off. "Come on, the worst is only yet to come, you'll see." His eyes stare with a blaze of fury as he focuses on the ground before him. He freezes upon hearing another small sound, he lifts his head and looks around, raising his eyes as he smiled. "Aha…" He slowly walked forward.

"What's he preying on now?" Kennedy watched him slinking along through the bushes, then he looked up and finally saw what he was stalking and gasped. "Oh no!"

"Triple H, that's a baby bird!" Booker cried.

"Come on it can't even fly, it's still in its nest!" Shane tried to plead with Triple H.

"Shut up." Triple H hissed and then looked up from the base of the tree, with a thrilled growl in his chest and jumped up and quickly scaled the tree. "BOO-AH!" Triple H roared as he popped his head up behind the baby bird, who let out a high pitched chirp, jumping up so hard that it fell out of the nest and off of the tree. "Hah."

"Oh no!" Jamie screamed as the bird fell chirping pitifully to the ground, the four friends tried to run in time to catch it. "We'll never make it in time to catch him, he's gonna fall and hit the…" The four friends stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide in shock. The baby bird was struggling so hard to slap his tinny wings, it was flitting up and up higher and higher. "Ah!" Jamie grinned.

"He's flying, he's learned how to fly!" Shane beamed, Booker and Kennedy cheered. "How kind you are Triple H, that was such a nice gesture!"

"Hmph, sure, no prob…." Triple H grumbled, his limps hanging like dead weights off the tree branch as the baby bird start to circle happily around him, very appropriatley, because it was starting to make Triple H dizzy. He jumped back down to the ground.

"You know what, you're really a nice guy after all." Kennedy smiled.

"And know what that means?" Booker winked. "You do the dishes, you do the dishes!"

"No I don't!" Triple H snapped, he was pissed now, he'd had it, today has been a bad day! His eyes were lit on fire as they darted around for something to strike them with, he sneered coldly as he spotted a large fallen branch. He roared as he picked it up, swinging it wildly. "Take this!"

"Whoa, take it easy man!" Jamie stammered, they backed up to not get hit.

"Calm down, we didn't mean anything by it!" Shane squeaked meekly.

"AH!" Triple H mustered up all of his might and swung it forward, but he did it too hard, causing it to fly off. "Huh...?"

"This stupid thing won't light…" Al was grumbling as he tried to light a large bonfire on the beach, there were some weak pieces of wood between a huge circle of large rocks. He was having a hard time getting it to work for the celebration that night. "The fire won't take to it no matter how much lighter fluid we put on it… bad wood." Before Al could continue, the huge branch fell into the bit, causing the fire to explode into flames. "Aha, what luck! Thank you, uh, whoever…" He looked up in the sky, was it a giant bird, a plane, or the Hurricane…!?

"Ugh…" Triple H shivered with frustration as he saw the smoke billow up into the air not too far off. "I just can't seem to win…!"

The four laughed and Shane said in between giggles, "You lit that up huge! No matter what you do, you can't prove that you aren't a nice guy!"

"Dishes, dishes, dishes, dishes!" Kennedy and Booker chanted.

"Tough luck." Jamie said, no matter how hard Triple H had actually tried today to show his friends up, all they had ended up doing was watching and laughing at him. "You lose."

Triple H's eyes were flaming and he let out a loud yowl, "I'LL SHOW YOU!" He let out a barbaric snarl and lunged forward, attacking the nearest person, who just so happens to be Shane.

"Ah, Triple H!" Jamie, Booker and Kennedy cried, though he had always threatened them, he had never beaten them like that.

"Take this!" Triple H had mauled him enough, he grabbed him by the collar of his cape and threw him, causing him to stumble a few feet and loose balance.

"Watch out!" Jamie gasped, Shane was about to fall off a ledge.

"Ah!" Shane cried out, unable to stop too late.

"SHANE!" The three rushed over.

"That was too much Triple H, you went too far that time!" Jamie yelled.

"What, it was an accident." Triple H snorted calmly. "So, am I still a nice guy then…?"

"OH MY GOD!" Kennedy gasped.

"What?" Jamie whirled around.

"Look, its Shane!" Booker pointed.

"Huh?" Jamie rushed over, as did Triple H, who gasped, his face long and pale at what he saw.

"Look guys, I'm doing it, I'm flying!" Shane cried happily as tears ran down his face, once of fear but now out of joy. He was using his cape to glide down the small slope like a hang glider. He landed and posed, calling up to his friends, "I did it, I finally did it, I DO have super powers!"

"Yay!" Jamie cheered as Booker and Kennedy laughed, Triple H felt sick.

"Woohoo!" Shane ran off, his cape behind him and arms out like an airplane.

"Oh great…" Booker groaned, rolling his eyes. He knew where Shane was heading.

"I hope he doesn't go and jump off a roof again now…" Kennedy chuckled with a grimace.

"What, it's only sand…" Triple H scoffed.

"You're a nice guy, you're a nice guy." Jamie chanted.

"Dishes, dishes, you do the dishes!" Kennedy and Booker joined in.

"ENOUGH!" Triple H was fed up now, the line had long since been crossed and he was still boiling over. "You losers, can't you see that you can't win? I… am not… NICE!"

"But…" Jamie went to protest, so Triple H chose him to attack verbally.

"You're forcing me to show you up, I don't have anything to prove to you. It's because I have to put on this display for you idiots that I'm messing up. Ah! I can't stand you guys! Why can't you just be like the rest of the world and just let this go!? I am not a nice guy, NOT a nice guy! You guys have made this day the worst day ever, no matter what I do you guys keep pushing at me, I feel like I could rip you apart! I won't, not out of kindness, but because frankly I'm too worn out. I hate you guys, I don't even know why I'm friends with you. Everybody respects me, hell even my family knows better than to cross me like that! I can't believe you guys! Booker you're nothing but a dumb ape of a man, you can't beat me, I am the king and you're just a joker! Kennedy is so lazy he snores and gourges like a hibernating bear in the winter, he's not even worth my time! That stupid Shane probably jumped off another roof again and is buried face first in the sand, I don't know why I even bother hanging out with him when it's so obvious he's a loser, and a super zero. Jamie is so pathetic, he goes and lets himself fall over some dumb ugly girl, who dumps him, then he spirals into a depression and even tries to change who he is, a stupid elephant never forgets, so I don't see why that dumbo forgot who he was! You guys are all idiots, even more than those counselor moron's Kane and Kurt Angle!" Triple H finally stopped seething, he whirled around, turning his back on them. "I won't apologize because you brought this onto yourself, so just get out of here and leave me alone before I decide to make my wrath physical! We only have one more day after this at summer camp, and I'd like it to be an enjoyable one." He took off into the hills, disappearing off in the trees into the darkness.

They could only just stand there for a moment in utter silence before Booker stomped his foot, "Who does he think he is, all cool like the top cat? I blame puberty."

"I guess a tiger never changes his stripes." Kennedy sighed, just shrugging it off. "Maybe we should just give him some time to be left alone and cool off, I mean we all share a cabin and eat together, so he'll have to come back around sooner or later."

Jamie, who wasn't as emotionally strong as the others, slumped down sullen, "Maybe it is our fault, he's right. We were doing nothing but following him and bugging him all day. It's only natural that he'd snap at us. Today has been a bad day, but it was our own doing, we only brought it on ourselves."

"Come on, just let it go, let's get back to camp." Kennedy turned to go. "Guess he was right after all, he really isn't a nice guy…"

"Oh well, guess he won, he won't be doing the dishes tonight." Booker tried to lighten the mood. "But hey, after exploding like that, he's probably forgotten about making us his slaves, heh."

The three walked off, not too far away Triple H was watching from behind a tree, he rolled his eyes, "Good, I finally gotten rid of them, I've been spending all damn day just trying to lose them, ugh." He took in a deep breath and let it out as a long sigh as he went on his way, finally free of their following him, he made his way secretly alone. It was getting later in the afternoon but he knew where he was going, he looked around almost as if he was sneaking off without anyone else knowing, he had long left the camp grounds and had finally reached the edge of Avalon. "Man, what a walk to the city, I forgot how long it takes." He shook it off and tried to act natural and blend in with the tourists and people walking in the streets, occasionally glancing around and shooting a cautious glance out of the corner of his eyes. Finally he was appeased in his surroundings and he had reached his destination, it was a small motel inn, he went inside. There were a few people sitting in the lobby and waiting in line at the desk, but luckily Triple H grinned as he easily found who he was looking for. "Hello!"

An older lady looked up at the young boy's call, "Oh, Hunter! What a surprise, my grandson!"

"Hi Grandma!" Triple H beamed happily, his voice cheerful and a sweet smile on his face, there were only two people in the world to ever see this secret side of Triple H. His mom, who he respected, and who he inherited his fierceness from. And his kind and beloved grandma.

"Ah, well what are you doing here? Was it your mother, oh I told her I was going to surprise YOU, and here you are." She laughed at herself as they hugged.

"Don't be silly, I love seeing you, we barely spend time together. I'm happy to see you and I'm glad you're surprised." Triple H sat down next to her, smiling and friendly like a happy kitten. "Mom called me the other day and told me you were coming out to see me tomorrow or the last day, so I thought what a trickster you are, I'm going to surprise YOU instead, heh."

"And you did. You know me all too well, child." She grinned, Triple H smiled back. "Oh, you know I was just about to go outside. There's a small Icee cart outside. Would you like one too?"

"Please Granny, this is my treat to you." Triple H stood up with a deep bow.

"But you're my grandson, what kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't lavish you with love and presents?" She joked.

"Don't worry, I have some money." Triple H winked and trotted off, his grandma smiling proudly after him. Triple H went outside and returned to a normal walk as he headed to the Icee cart and waited in line behind the few people in front of him. He let out a long sigh of relief, but unfortunaly his calm state didn't last long, because he was not as safe and undiscovered as he first thought.

"Well, well, well…"

"Huh!" Triple H gasped, somebody had seen him. He felt outraged, had one of the guys followed him. He whirled around to lash out again, "Why you… uh…!" He froze at who he saw.

"Aw, Triple H is spending time with his gwammy? How sweet." Chris Jericho was laughing, he paused to cough into his hand.

"What are… What are you doing here!?" Triple H stammered, his face pale in fear, his eyes wide, his voice locked in shock, he was busted now. After all day, playing with those fools, trying to prove he wasn't nice, in the rare moment of his kindness he was found out.

"Oh…" Chris grumbled, glancing away a bit, but he told him the truth anyway. "Well, everyone was so worried when I wasn't getting any better, and with tomorrow being the last day they didn't want 'some sick kid' to jeopardize our chances of a camp next summer by making us all look bad in front of the founders. So they sent me to a specialist in the city to get examined. Turns out my strep is so bad it went into my ear." He smirked as he motioned to his right ear with a nodded and an upward glance. "They gave me freakin ear drops, heh." He rolled his eyes and cleared his throat, returning to normal. "But what about you, what are you doing here, and with your grandma no less?"

"Well…" Triple H hesitated for a moment, but he realized Chris had been honest with him, so respectuflly, he would do likewise. "My mom called me and told me my grandma was coming to the island to surprise me by showing up tomorrow, since it's the last day. I don't get to see her a lot, and it's good to spend as much time with her as I can when we're together, so we would've probably ended up going home together too. She's my favorite person, I really care for her a lot." He paused, had he just said too much?

"Aw and I can tell, what a good little boy." Chris snickered but broke down into a hard coughing fit, gripping his neck. "Well, I guess that's a sign that that's enough of that, huh…" He smirked.

Triple H groaned, he was cornered now, "So what do you want…?"

"Huh?" Chris blinked, confused.

"I don't want the others to find out, it's a long story, I'll tell you back at camp I promise. Just please…"

"What, are you kidding me?" Chris laughed, Triple H winced. "I've got dirt on you, no not just any dirt, GOLDEN dirt! This is rich, rich soil man!"

"Ugh…" Triple H groaned and looked away, he was right, he was dug deep into a hole and anyone would pay highly for info like this. He was spotted, he was dead, the gig was up now. This really had been the worst day ever…

"I guess I could tell the world what I saw here today…" Chris thought, Triple H just sighed. "But, I won't."

"What!?" Triple H sputtered, taken back in utter shock.

Chris smirked playfully, "Nah. I'll make you a deal." Triple H blinked silently, now he was the one who was confused, what in the world would Chris want in exchange. "I promise not to tell anyone that I saw you here today, or anywhere, doing anything that you were doing." He closed his eyes and put a hand on his heart. "I promise not to ever tell anyone that I saw you and you weren't in town doing what you were doing."

"Whoa…"

"But in return…" Chris sneered.

"Here it comes…" Triple H grimaced, he was dead now, blackmailed!

"You have to do the same."

"Huh?" Triple H was confused.

"If I never saw you, you never saw me. I was never here in town today doing what I was doing. You weren't here with your grandmother, and I wasn't here at a doctor getting humiliated with probes and tests." He stuck out his tongue and pointed his finger down his throat to gag.

"Ah…!" Triple H gasped, he finally understood.

"Not that hard huh, nothing to it." Chris gave a shrug and a wink.

"And, you'd really do that for me?" Triple H blinked, still a little bit shocked he could barely get the words out.

"Sure." Chris nodded with a nice smile.

"Huh." Triple H was baffled, but he finally realized something. "Who would've thought it, that I could get what I want, just by being… nice."

"Uh huh." Chris quickly looked around his shoulder. "I'd better hurry up, Farooq is probably tired of waiting." He turned to go. "So I'll uh see you back at camp, well not that I've seen you anywhere else today…" He waved slightly as he walked off.

Triple H just stood there staring after him, putting it all together, he smiled greatfully, pleased with Chris's shocking, yet not surprising kindness. A rare smile that nobody would've ever believed had Chris even seen it himself, it was something rare that only Triple H showed his mom and grandma. He was an only child, his grandpa had already died and Triple H's father was divorced and re-married, so he never even really saw him much at all, except on holidays. So family was a sensitive subject with him and to hide his pain he was always hard even on his other relatives because he didn't want his emotions as an open weakness, so he always was hard on them and blocked them out. But not today, not with his grandma, this was different, this was, nice. He got back in the shortened line thinking about all of the events of the day, it had gone from a horrible day to an actually great day. He got the two red Icee's, paid the vendor, and returned to his waiting happily smiling grandma and spent some good quality time together, topping it all off at the end with a big grin and a nice warm hug.


	35. The Lying Sleeps Tonight

That night, the bonfire on the beach was a huge blaze as everyone sat on the sand to celebrate their last night at camp, tomorrow morning they would pack up and say good bye before they got on the boat that afternoon. So tonight they would live it up one last time before returning to a new school year, they BBQ'd meat, had plenty of marshmallows for smores, and a cooler of ice with a bunch of cups for drinks. Tonight they would be happy, one more time without a care in the world, one more day, at camp.

"Man this sucks, the last day already. Where did the time go?" Booker T sighed.

"I know, really. The time flew by, I can't even remember what we did." Ken Kennedy chuckled.

"Well I remember that I showed everyone that I was in fact the true king of the camp." Triple H snorted smugly, turning away from the group.

"I still haven't found my super powers…" Shane Helms sighed, staring at his feet.

"I fell in love for the first time, only to have my heart break." Jamie Noble grumbled.

"Okay, we get it." Chris Jericho laughed. "I mean when you look back and you think about it, it really wasn't a long time, I mean it was like what, two months?"

"Summer always goes by quick, it's just like the weekend." Triple H replied arrogantly.

"Well yeah that's true, but, whatever the case was…" Chris smirked. "Now we all have a new year of school to look forward to." Everybody groaned, rolling their eyes. Chris laughed jokingly, "Come on, it'll go by fast I'm sure, then we'll have summer break again and we can come back to the island for camp." Nobody replied, they all glanced away. Chris sighed with a frown, "Oh yeah, that's right… we don't know if there's going to be a camp to come back to." He put his chin on his hand.

"Oh, well looks like the food is ready." Booker mumbled, trying to break the silence. "Come on." He stood up and walked off, motioning to Kennedy.

"Alright, right behind you." He followed him towards where Spike Dudley and Al Snow were making the BBQ, Farooq was in charge of the ice cooler and cups for the drinks.

"Guess we should get in line too." Shane got up and cracked his back.

"Yeah, let's go before Ken eats it all." Jamie grinned to lighten the mood, they both walked off.

Chris sighed and glanced down before looking at Triple H, "Shall we follow as well?"

"I don't see why not." Triple H nodded and they both got up and slowly walked to the end of the line together. "So, uh… how's the throat?"

"Huh?" Chris blinked. "Oh. Uh, fine I suppose. It's rough, I'm trying not to bring everyone down because I'm still sick, I want today to be happy, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He smirked. "Taking your meds?"

"Well I hardly think that's any of your business." Chris scoffed playfully and they chuckled. "So, how was your Gwammy?"

"Granny, is fine. But I don't think that's any of your business, either." Triple H snorted with a smirk. "Thanks again man, I don't see her a lot so it was really nice. I'm going to leave with her this afternoon, so I won't be on the boat with the rest of you guys because she's going to be on the speedboat."

"Don't worry, just say you're so special and important as the king that only you get to ride the fast boat, while we get on that big slow thing." Chris winked.

"Oh don't you worry, I already had that in mind." Triple H stopped in the line as they stood and waited with their friends. "Looks like with all the plastic plates and silver wear, you guys won't have to do the dishes after all, huh."

"Hey…!" Jamie growled over his shoulder, and they all laughed.

But Kennedy wasn't laughing, he was looking around, he looked up at dark sky, the fog was in thick that night and you couldn't see a single star, not even the half moon. He frowned, the dark smoke was billowing up from the fires into the sky. He groaned with discomfort and turned away to focus on something else. His eyes froze upon the overflowing single trash can, half of the kids weren't even using it, plates and cups and trash littered the beach they had worked so hard to clean that day. What a waste, and from waste! He swallowed hard, trying not to sweat it, but his dreams kept coming back to him. He couldn't shake them, every night he would have nightmares, he would wake up, only to fall asleep again and have the same thing happen, each time, a new bad dream, each time they got worse, and not only that, more realistic.

"Hey, you alright?" Shane asked. "Hey, Ken!"

"Huh!" Kennedy gasped, snapping out of it.

"You're next, are you gonna eat or what?" Booker asked.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Kennedy flashed a smile and served himself.

"Something on your mind, bud?"

"Yeah, just thinking…"

"That's odd." Jamie joked.

"Well it is the last day, he hasn't thought once at all this summer, he has to cram it all in the last day, just like studying for a test at school, it's all last minute." Chris chimed in.

"And even then he still only gets a C- too." Triple H added with a snicker.

"Alright, let's harp on somebody else now." Kennedy grimaced.

"Yeah, like Shane, the super zero." Jamie elbowed him in the ribs.

"At least I didn't get my heart broken in my first love." Shane socked him in the arm.

"Burn!" Chris laughed.

"Yeah, burns like your throat." Booker laughed.

"Not as bad as getting your but burned by me in the competition." Triple H smirked slyly. So they all began to play fight and joke once more, even Kennedy joined in, he wanted to forget those bad dreams, because in only a few hours, he would be facing them once again.

That night…

"Well, this is our last night in these beds, then we can go home and get a good night sleep in a nice bed for once." Booker laughed.

"And we don't have to hear anybody snore." Jamie winked.

"Hey, what are you implying there?" Shane threw his pillow at him.

"No more looking up at you either." Chris poked his head out.

"Please, you all will always be looking up at me." Triple H sat up, looking dignified.

"Yes your highn-ass." Chris hissed.

"Here let me strangle you, on your knees dog." Triple H cracked his knuckles, and again before bed they got their ribbing out of their system.

"Well, good night guys." Kennedy sighed.

"Night." The lights went out and soon everybody fell asleep, well all but Kennedy that is.

"The last night." He sighed to himself, closing his eyes. "Maybe back home these bad dreams will stop. Everything's going to be okay. The litter of the world won't destroy mother nature." He had changed from the happy go lucky, careless, carefree guy who got off the boat and stepped into camp, into quite the opposite, believing in global warming and can't sleep and worries constantly so much that it even invades his dreams. "Not real, it's not real…"

Later…

"Ken… Ken… Kennedy."

"Huh?" Kennedy opened his eyes, he was still half asleep but he knew he had heard somebody calling his voice. "What?" He blinked and looked around, he was surprised because it had been at least a half hour or so and he hadn't had a dream yet.

"Kennedy."

"What's up?" He sat up, for sure that he had heard somebody this time.

"Hey." It was Booker and he was standing out of bed. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" Kennedy whispered and got out of bed.

"Outside, it's acting really weird." Booker crept over to the door.

"What's weird?" Kennedy asked and he slowly opened the door a crack and gasped at what he saw. "Oh my gosh, what in the world…?" The branches and vines on the trees were waving wildly, but there wasn't even a gust coming off the ocean. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, it's freaky." Booker's voice was a stammer, trying not to be afraid.

"We should stay inside." Kennedy gulped and stepped back.

"No, something's wrong, what if somebody is out there?" Booker went out the door.

"Yeah, you're gonna be out there in a sec!" Kennedy tried to grab him but missed, so he ran after him. They reached the trees, the branches were groaning and the vines cracked like whips in the air. "This weather, it's too weird man…"

"I know, this just can't be real…"

"Why, why don't we go back inside… it's safer in there." Kennedy stepped back, shaking.

"Yeah, you're right." Booker turned around with a smirk and went to follow, but there was a loud moan of bark creaking. "Huh?"

"Book…!" Kennedy's face went pale in fear.

"Eh? Whoa!" Booker cried as the branches trapped him and the vines wrapped around him. "Ah! Help, what's going on here, get me down!"

"Booker!" Kennedy cried.

"What is this, cut it out, what's going on?" Booker tried to thrash and free himself.

"What do I do, what do I do!?" Kennedy stammered, his voice cracking in fear.

"Booker, Kennedy!"

"Huh?" Kennedy turned around just in time to see Shane rush over.

"What's going on, I heard you yell and I… whoa! What the hell!" He saw Booker.

"You gotta help me, I don't know what's going on!"

"Never fear, the super hero is here!" Shane fearlessly charged towards the trees. Just then a huge burst of wind shot out from the bushes, blowing Shane back, holding him up in the air for a moment. "Whoa, that was strange…"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I gotta get Booker!" Shane jumped up and tried again, the gust hit him hard again, the leaves from the trees swarming around him, blinding his visibility. "Ah, I can't see, where am I, what's going on?"

"Shane!" Kennedy could only watch as the leaves cocooned around him, the gust of wind pulling him into the dark of the woods along with Booker. "Booker, Shane!" But all he got back in response was the fading of their screams. "Oh no, oh no what do I do, what do I do…!?"

"Hey, what's going on, stop yelling…" Jamie groaned as he saw Kennedy sitting in the dirt.

"They're gone, it's my fault…" He choked pitifully.

"Who is, what's the matter?"

"Shane and Booker, something weird happened, I lost them, it's my fault…"

"What are you talking about?" Jamie shook him, trying to snap him out of it. He looked into the dark hills, "There's nothing there, you must be dreaming."

"It's not real, it's not real…" Kennedy mumbled quietly to himself.

"I'll show you, you're seeing things." Jamie started walking but the nearest tree ripped its root from the ground and tripped him. "Whoa, what in the…!"

"Jamie!" Kennedy gasped, jumping up.

"Ah, what's going on, help!" Jamie slid down a slope that appeared from in the middle of the ground, he landed at the bottom, clumps of dirt and small rocks and logs falling down on him. "Ah, stop it, that hurts, help me!"

"Jamie!" Kennedy was frozen, he could only watch as his friend disappeared beneath the ground. "No!" He pulled logs and rocks and tried to get him out, but it was no use. "He's gone, he's gone too, everybody is leaving me, it's all my fault! This can't be real!" He began to pant and look around, backing up. "I need some fresh air!" He ran to the beach, he stood in the sand and looked out to the ocean, it was calm, as if nothing had happened. "What is going on here? This all can't be my fault, could it be, mother nature?"

"Hey, what are you doing out here."

"Huh?" Kennedy turned around to see Triple H scowling at him. "What are you doing out here?"

"I asked you first, what's going on." He snarled.

"Something's wrong, I dunno what's going on, but Shane and Booker and Jamie are all gone, those trees attacked them and the ground opened up, and, and it took them all away, it's not safe here, mother nature is getting her revenge, and she's getting it on me, it's all my fault!"

Triple H just stared blankly at him, "…uh, oh...kay… Have a bad dream?"

"It's not real, it can't be…"

"Whatever, it's not like I care. I'm going back." Triple H turned to go.

Kennedy was frozen, a wave crashed on the beach in front of Triple H, turning the sand into a dark, thick spiral, "Hey look out!"

"Huh what?" Triple H glanced over his shoulder only to stumble forward. "What the…!"

"You're sinking, it's quick sand!" Kennedy stammered and rushed to pull him out, but it was hard to run in sand. "Get out, quick!"

"You think I would if I could!?" Triple H roared back, but his voice was cracking in fear, trying to pull his arms out only to fall in deeper, he struggled, trying not to be afraid.

"No!" Kennedy cried, he watched as the wave crashed again, the sandy spiral disappeared. "Trips!" He dug and dug in the sand but nothing happened, a wave just hit him again. "Ugh, Trips… no." He looked around, everything was normal again. He looked down at his hands. "No matter what I do, I can't save them, I can't help my friends. They were innocent, why take them? If this is my fault, hurt me!" He was shivering and shaking violently from fear, his body was cold, he could feel it, he was completely aware. "This is too real, this can't be a dream, it's real!" He gasped. "Oh no, Chris is the only one left, he's still asleep back in the cabin!" He jumped up and started to rush over, but he heard a roar from behind him, and it was getting louder. "Huh?" He turned around, only to gasp in fear at what he saw. "Whoa!" A huge tidal wave was about to crash on the beach. Kennedy ran and panted, rushing towards the forest to avoid it. The huge wave crashed down on the camp, drowning the beach and the cabins under water. "No, Chris!" He screamed, the entire camp was gone, there wasn't a trace left. "This can't be, that's impossible!" He looked around frantically. "Maybe I'm not too late… maybe I can save the others, maybe they got taken up the hill, maybe I can find them. I have to avenge Chris and Triple H!" He took off, charging blindly through the dark forest and up to the top of the hills. It was hard for him to see though and he tripped over a rock, "Whoa!" He fell and rolled down. "OW!" He crashed through the bushes and hit his head against a tree, knocking him out.

A bad dream…

The hot sunny summer blows in a cold storm out of nowhere, with bad winds, heavy rains, the cold night frosting the drops into tiny bolts of hail.

"My vision is coming to pass…" Kennedy stood outside the cabin. "Come on everyone, we have to get out of here! The whole world is in danger!"

"But to where, we're on an island?" Booker asked.

"Up, to the top of the hills above the clouds, we should be safe there!" He took off, leading the gang as they ran up through the forest. The cold wind blew the hail rain drops in their faces.

"Ken, what's going on?" Shane asked.

"You know something you're not telling us aren't you." Jamie added.

Kennedy sighed, "You're right, this is all my fault." Kennedy tried to explain to them how the world really is coming to an end and leads them to what he hopes is salvation. "I was the worst of all the litter bugs, we're destroying the environment. And now mother nature is taking it out on me, by taking it out on you, my friends, those most valuable to me. I'm sorry guys, I didn't think this could be real."

"It's alright, it's not your fault." Shane replied.

"Yeah." Jamie nodded. "I mean you're just one guy."

"One guy can't save the world, and one guy can't destroy the world." Booker shrugged.

"Maybe…" Kennedy sighed.

"Guys, we need to hurry." Triple H spoke up. "Chris isn't waking up, and his fever is getting really bad, he's sweating all over me." He was carrying the unconscious Canadian on his back, Chris was struggling to breath, if he got any worse, his life would be in great danger.

"We're almost there, come on, just a little bit further!" Kennedy drudged on. "If I lose Chris I could never forgive myself. He was the one who was right about me all along, he was just trying to help me, trying to make me see that I had to change. I can't be too late!" He glanced at Booker not too far off. "Booker is my best friend, I have to do this for him, I can do this, I'll make him proud. This may be all my fault, but maybe, if I can save them, that will be because of me too." He glanced over at Shane, who was pulling Jamie along by his arm. "Shane, you may have no super powers, but you have a strong heart, and you're more a hero than I'll ever be. I won't let my friends down, I have to make things right, I will save them!"

"Look!" Booker pointed, they had reached the top, the wind died down, the cold faded away, the hail lightened into misty drops as they stood on the hill above the clouds and looked around over the world. "Whoa, check it out, what a view."

"Huh?" Kennedy turned and he gasped, his eyes wide at what he saw. "It's… beautiful." The scene they saw wasn't one of destruction at all, the ocean was wide and clear, the sky was full of stars, the moon shone bright, and the island was lush and green. "The world wasn't ending, not at all, mother nature wasn't trying to get revenge, she was trying to warn us."

"See, you did lead us to salvation, we're saved!" Jamie cheered.

"Yay, you did it Ken, thank you!" Shane cried, jumping up and down.

"There's no danger, we aren't trapped, it…" A tear fell down his face, his lips quivered. "It wasn't real." A smile spread across his face. "It wasn't real, it's not real! Hahah!" He raised a fist into the air.

It was all just a bad dream… a bad dream… a bad dream…

Kennedy groaned and opened his eyes…

"We aren't trapped in danger." He heard himself mutter and looked around. He gasped and sat up. "What the…" He was in bed in the cabin. He was completely confused. "But it seemed so real, even though…. I mean I could feel it, I could see it, I could control it, I could hear it… a dream within a dream…?" Too wierd. He gasped and jumped out of bed, rushing to the door. He opened it and looked outside. "It wasn't real, not at all…" He paused for a moment and smiled, he closed the door and looked out the window. "Thanks mother nature." He got back in bed and went to sleep, only this time, he didn't have any nightmares, he wouldn't have a bad dream like that again, because he had learned his lesson. He could change himself, but not change the world.

That morning…

Kennedy was the last to wake up, having finally received a good night sleep he slept in and awoke feeling happy and refreshed. He changed and went outside, the sky was clear, the sun was bright, the birds were singing, and the waves crashed gently on the sand. He took a deep breath and let it out, it was his last breath on the island, but the first breath of relief he had in quite some time. He went to go get some breakfast, in the cafeteria everybody was finishing up saying good bye to each other, the counselors would be the last ones to leave the island, they would go on a separate small speed boat that night, they would be meeting with the camp founders, Hillbilly Jim and Earl Hebner.

"Everyone, if we can finish our breakfast, Jim and Earl are here to speak with us." Al announced, everybody clapped quietly as the duo stepped forward.

"Thank you, I hope you all have enjoyed your summer here at the camp." Earl nodded.

"Unfortunately due to lack of interest, the small turn out of girls, and boys, the decline in funds, the raise of land propery lease on the island, and such, it doesn't look like we'll be able to have a session next year." Jim sighed.

"AW!" The collective response was unanimous and loud.

"I know, I know, we're all so sorry, we tried, we did our best." Spike hung his head in defeat.

"We will work very hard throughout the school year to see what we can do, but things don't look good, I'm really sorry." Earl turned to leave the cafeteria.

"We thank you all, and again, we really hope things improve and we'll see you next year." Jim nodded and followed Earl out, flanked by Al and Spike with Farooq bringing up the rear.

"What a drag… oh well, all we can do is hope for the best." Kennedy sighed with a shrug.

"Yeah, I guess." Booker grimaced. "If we can't change it or do anything about it, maybe it's just not meant to be."

"Well at least I'm the final, and true King of the Camp." Triple H sauntered off.

"Well we should get our things all packed and ready so we can leave." Shane stood up.

"Oh that's right." Jamie looked at his watch. "We only have a few hours, let's get going."

They all finished up and went back to their cabins, cleaning up and packing what was left was quick and easy so they headed to the dock to wait to board the boat, as they left the camp behind, Farooq was pulling off the pictures of that year's camp off the wooden podium. The gang stopped to watch the last of them. There was one of Triple H as the king of the camp, one of Chris after getting his hair cut, one of Shane in mid-air as he jumped off another roof, one of Jamie and Terri, and the last one of Kennedy and Booker. They all smiled at the memories of the good times they had those past two months. In the water, the boat appeared and let out a whistle of its horn. Everyone on the dock cheered as the boat got closer. The gang let out a sigh as they stood to wait with the group, taking one last glance back at the island.

"See you jerks later." Triple H said as he walked off alone to go take his special speed boat. Chris watched him go and grinned. They would all see each other in a few weeks at the start of a new school year, and he couldn't help but wonder how different they might be, now that summer camp was over…

**A/N:** _So that's it, that's the end of the story how I wrote it. But no story really has an ending. But I guess I didn't make it obvious enough what the inspiration behind my little story was, that or maybe nobody has seen it. There was once a show like a decade years ago called Jungle Cubs, based on the characters of The Jungle Book as, well, cubs obviously. Anybody remember that, I loved that show, I hated how so short lived it was, and I got nostalgic and missed it, so this was my own tribute for it. I hope you liked it._


End file.
